Sadio Mané struck late to send Senegal into the final of the Africa Cup of Nations, as the reigning champions edged seven-time winners Egypt 1-0 in a tense semi-final clash on Wednesday.
The two-time African Footballer of the Year delivered the decisive moment in the 78th minute, firing a low drive into the bottom left corner from just outside the box after Lamine Camara’s initial long-range effort was blocked by Egypt’s defence.
The breakthrough sparked wild celebrations among Senegal supporters in Tangier.
Pape Thiaw’s side had dominated possession throughout the contest but found clear chances hard to come by against Egypt’s disciplined and resilient back line.
Senegal, who defeated Egypt in the final of the 2021 edition, once again imposed themselves early, yet Nicolas Jackson blazed over before Habib Diarra and Pape Gueye saw their efforts comfortably handled by goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy.
The victory came at a cost for the Teranga Lions. Captain Kalidou Koulibaly’s tournament ended in disappointment after he was forced off injured in the 23rd minute.
The centre-back had earlier been booked for a tactical foul on Omar Marmoush, a yellow card that ruled him out of the final through suspension. Mamadou Sarr replaced him.
Tempers flared midway through the first half when Mohamed Salah fouled his former Liverpool teammate Mané, briefly igniting tensions on the touchline before coaches Pape Thiaw and Hossam Hassan intervened to restore calm.
Habib Diarra was later cautioned for dissent, a booking that will also see him miss the final.
Egypt offered little going forward for much of the match, with Salah’s whipped free kick before halftime, which flashed across the face of goal without a touch, their clearest moment of danger.
After the break, the pattern remained unchanged. Senegal controlled possession and territory, while the Pharaohs sat deep, content to absorb pressure. Remarkably, Egypt failed to register a shot on target or win a corner until late in the game.
Mané’s goal finally broke the deadlock with 12 minutes of normal time remaining. Camara’s ambitious strike ricocheted into Mané’s path, and the Al-Nassr forward made no mistake, drilling past El Shenawy to seal the win.
Egypt pushed desperately in stoppage time, with Marmoush forcing a save, but Senegal held firm to book a place in the final, where they will face either hosts Morocco or Nigeria, who meet later in Rabat.
