Senegal have won the Africa Cup for the first time. In a dramatic penalty shootout, the West Africans prevailed over record winners Egypt. Sadio Mané made amends for an early miss late on.
For Egypt, the tenth Africa Cup final in the association’s history (best ever) began as the semi-final had ended: with a triumph from the penalty spot. With a total of three saved shots in two penalty shoot-outs, goalkeeper Abou Gabal had already played a major role in his team’s progress to the final – and in the final he proved his qualities again: After a foul by Abdelmonem on Ciss, Mané took an early penalty kick for the Senegalese, but Abou Gabal blocked the hard kick and provided the first exclamation mark of the match (7th). It was not to be the last clash between the two players.
However, the Senegalese did not let the big unused chance upset them and dominated the game. Egypt coach Carlos Queiroz could only watch this spectacle from the stands, suspended for the sidelines after his red card in the semi-final against Cameroon. His team hardly developed any ideas themselves and let Senegal have the ball. The West Africans did occasionally get through on the wings, but their crosses lacked precision. In fact, Egypt had the only other good chance of the first half when Salah forced Mendy into a flying save (43rd).
After the break, however, Senegal once again upped the ante. But once again Abou Gabal stood in the way, keeping out Mané (53rd) and Diedhiou (56th). The Egyptians were already feeling the effects of three consecutive overtime periods, and after less than an hour the record winners made a triple change. The “Pharaohs” then showed more freshness and had two good headed chances through Abdelmonem (69th) and substitute Marwan Hamdy (75th), but were also very lucky that the cautioned Fathi was not sent off after several further offences.
Abou Gabal drives Senegal to despair
With a shorthanded team, Egypt’s already physically battered side would probably have found it extremely difficult, but the record winners – as in all their previous knockout games – went into extra time again. There, the brilliant Abou Gabal had to make three more brilliant saves against the substitute Dieng (91st, 100th, 116th) – the Senegalese ran incessantly against the stonewalling Egyptians, but really despaired of the outstanding goalkeeper of Zamalek Cairo.
His front men seemed to want only one thing – the penalty shoot-out. Shortly before, they actually had a good chance for the lucky punch through Marwan Hamdy, which the otherwise hardly tested Mendy denied (117th).
Mané stays cool in the decisive moment
In the penalty shoot-out, world goalkeeper Mendy (against Lasheen) and Abou Gabal (against Bayern pro Sarr), who was later named “Man of the match”, each saved a penalty. However, because Abdelmonem had only hit the inside post beforehand, the showdown that had already opened the match took place: Mané against Abou Gabal.
This time, the Liverpool star, later voted player of the tournament, slammed the ball into the left-hand corner beyond the reach of the outstanding keeper, making Senegal the African champions for the first time in the history of the federation. His team-mate Salah would have been the last Egyptian shooter to wait, but – as so often on this night – did not get his chance.
