Senegal are set to feature in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final after overcoming Egypt 1-0 in a semi-final clash in Tangier, Morocco on Wednesday.
After a goalless first half, Sadio Mane delivered the decisive blow to the Egyptians late in the second half.
In a match well contested by both team, Rami Rabia made a 16th-minute vital block when he closed in on Iliman Ndiaye; the Everton forward made a run and, just at the edge of the box, attempted to take a shot aiming for the top corner, but the Egyptian defender cleared the ball away.
In the 17th minute, Senegal were dealt a blow when Kalidou Koulibaly picked up a yellow card that will rule him out of the final.
Six minutes later, the former Chelsea defender was withdrawn due to an injury, and he was replaced by Mamadou Sarr.
Egypt’s forward #10 Mohamed Salah and Senegal’s forward #10 Sadio Mane vie during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) semi-final football match . (Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP via Getty Images)
In the 41st minute, tensions flared on the touchline as both sets of coaches engaged in a heated argument. Mane was forced to intervene and play the mediator’s role, and eventually the tension went down.
Despite both team pushing to score that decisive goal, the first half ended in a goalless draw.
The deadlock was broken in the 78th minute as Mane found the net. The Al Nassr forward, at the edge of the box, struck the ball, and it found the back of the net as it landed inside the left post.
After going down, Egypt’s coach Hossam Hassan made a tactical substitution; he replaced Rabia, who otherwise was solid at the back, with Zizo in the 81st minute.
Three minutes later, after Zizo’s introduction, Hassan made more changes as he brought on Mostafa Mohamed to replace Emam Ashour.
Despite their late urgency in the game, Egypt were unable to find an answer as the West Africans progressed to the final. The record AFCON champions will now fight for the bronze medal in the third-place duel.
