Senegal beat Egypt to emerge AFCON champions

Senegal celebrate after winning AFCON, Sunday night in Olembe, Cameroon

After full and extra time at the Olembe Stadium in Cameroon, it was Teranga Lions of Senegal who this Sunday night, February 6, 2022, emerged champions of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

It was a crunchy match which pitched two Liverpool stars – Mohamed Salah of Egypt and Sadio Mane of Senegal – against one another.

In the end, it was Mane and his teammates who smiled last, beating seven-time winners Pharaohs to emerge champions for the first time, winning 4-2.

Senegal would have wrapped up proceeding during regulation time but were denied by Egyptian goalie Gabaski, who kept his team in the game all through with save after save, including stopping a three-minute penalty kick by Mane.

But they finally triumphed in the ensuing sudden death. Both Gabaski and his opposite number Edouard Mendy saved one kick but Salah had no need to take Egypt’s last kick after Mane blasted into the net — Mohamed Abdelmonem having handed the West Africans the advantage by blasting his kick against the cross bar.