Sadio Mane scored a 78th-minute winner to give Senegal a 1-0 win over Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final in Tangier on Wednesday. He said he was playing in the tournament for the last time.
«I am very happy to play in my very last AFCON. I hope to win this (the final) and bring (the trophy) back to Dakar,» the 33-year-old told reporters.
Former champion Senegal dominated possession against cautious Egypt and will face host country Morocco in the final on Sunday.
The result maintained Senegal’s dominance over Egypt. The Teranga Lions had defeated the Pharaohs in the 2022 AFCON final and in a 2022 World Cup play-off. Both victories came on penalties.
It will be Senegal’s fourth AFCON final appearance. It lost to Cameroon in 2002 and Algeria in 2019 before beating Egypt four years ago.
Egyptian captain Mohamed Salah was well contained by the Senegalese defense. This was his fifth AFCON, and the closest he has come to a winner’s medal was finishing second twice.
«From the beginning we did it together. We avoided making individual mistakes or committing unnecessary fouls,» Mane said.
«I think we played the game well from start to finish and overall we deserved the win. We will mainly try to be ready for the final and do our best.»
«The most important thing for me is that Senegal wins every time… I am a soldier of the nation. I try to give everything every day, whether in training or in matches.»
«The Africa Cup of Nations is the most difficult competition in the world. All teams are evenly matched.»
With twelve minutes to go in regular time, Sadio Mane’s low shot flew past Mohamed El Shenawy and into the net, sending Senegal into their fourth AFCON final. | Photo credit: AFP
With twelve minutes to go in regular time, Sadio Mane’s low shot flew past Mohamed El Shenawy and into the net, sending Senegal into their fourth AFCON final. | Photo credit: AFP
Heated exchanges
Referring to former Liverpool teammate Salah, Mane said the Egyptian is “one of the best players in the world”.
Veteran Senegal centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly was shown a yellow card after 17 minutes for a foul on Egyptian striker Omar Marmoush.
It was his second booking in as many matches and ruled him out of the final in Rabat.
Things were worse for the 34-year-old as he suffered an injury six minutes later and had to be replaced by Mamadou Sarr.
Senegal did more attacking in a cagey first half without seriously threatening 37-year-old Egyptian goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy.
The rival benches became involved in heated verbal exchanges and some pushed as half-time approached, prompting rival head coaches Pape Thiaw and Hossam Hassan to call for calm.
Thiaw and Hassan were then addressed by the referee and order was restored in the rival dugouts.
Egypt threatened the Senegalese defense for the first time in extra time at the end of the first half when he was awarded a free kick close to the touchline.
But Salah’s playmaker slipped through a crowded goalmouth and out of play past the far post.
As the semi-final passed the hour mark, the pattern of the opening half continued. Egypt were content to give Senegal more possession, confident that it would remove any threat to El Shenawy.
Finally, with twelve minutes to go, the Senegalese pressure was rewarded by the two-time African Player of the Year Mane.
An ambitious long-range effort from Camara was deflected towards Mane, and his low shot flew past El Shenawy and into the net.
Published on January 15, 2026
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2)/Priyatharsini-Natarajan-011426-2db9f2a12a0c460b9e111c038d8da689.jpg?w=238&resize=238,178&ssl=1 "Madre arrestada por doble homicidio luego de que sus hijos, de 5 y 7 años, fueran encontrados muertos dentro de su casa")
