Santo Mane scored the winning penalty in a process to send Senegal to the 2022 World Cup, after his Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah lost the spot for Egypt. In a replay of the African Cup of Nations final, Senegal was happy to whistle at the end after the penalty shootout, with Egypt’s players disappointed and Salah – one of the best players in the world – leaving thinking about his absence from the November tournament in Qatar. The second match of the playoffs in the new stadium of 50,000 seats of Senegal ended with 1-0 for the hosts and 1-1 in total after extra time, sending the game to a tense and dramatic penalty. Mane had taken the penalty that won the Nations Cup and the Reds striker scored the decisive spot once again, after goalkeeper Edouard Mendy gave Senegal an advantage by blocking Mostafa Mohamed 2-1. Egypt captain Salah was one of four players to miss the first four penalties of a penalty that featured a huge number of green laser points aimed at the visiting players and the goalkeeper. Senegalese Boulaye Dia was the only goal scorer in regular time – he chased after just four minutes with a shot that hit the body of Pharaohs defender Hamdi Fathi. In other World Cup play-offs in Africa, Ghana, Tunisia, Morocco and Cameroon also qualified – with Nigeria, Mali, the DRC and Algeria eliminated.
Critical advantage
Boulaye Dia scored the first goal that forced the game into extra time This is the second time in six weeks that Senegal has beaten Egypt on penalties for a major prize. February was the final of the Nations Cup in Cameroon. There, two Egyptian failures meant that their scorer Salah’s symbol did not get a chance to get one. This time they made sure to go first – and with the look to secure a crucial advantage early, after the Senegalese captain Kalidou Koulibali hit the crossbar with the first attempt of the shot. But Salah could not have done better. In fact, it’s worse, it’s a shot that’s not near Mendy’s goal as it goes over the crossbar. Neither Ciss nor Zizo could score, and it was clear that the series of laser pointers aimed at players on both sides – which had grown in intensity as the match neared the end – worked. Ismaila Sarr finally found the nets, but this is what Amr El Soleya met. Baba Dieng then struck with confidence to put the Teraga Lions ahead, but when Mustafa tried to answer for Egypt, Medi saved well and put Senegal in charge. It was a situation that Mane took full advantage of, sparked his effort in the middle and sparked scenes of celebration. The fact that the game will be settled on penalties was not the obvious conclusion given the score. The deflected Dia’s shot was a strange replay of what had given Egypt the victory in the first match in Cairo – at the same minute. It came after Egypt failed to defend a dangerous foul. Dia rushed with his head to make the shot, but Fathi repulsed at the same time and the ball went under the goalkeeper of the guests Mohamed El Senawi. In Senegal’s brand new home, which unlike most major stadiums in Africa does not have a track and has created a more intense atmosphere, the roof is about to come off. Egypt offered little throughout, adhering to a game plan of maintaining a tight defense and thwarting any Senegalese offensive with sharply challenged challenges. But the hosts had two great opportunities – they both fell to Sarr – to seal the success, before the penalties judge the result. The first was at 82 minutes when he was sent off, but El Shenawy made himself big to make sure Sarr’s effort would roll out. The Watford player then failed to connect properly and his effort turned to El Senaoui’s body. Zizo lifted Egypt with some crazy runs, but they seemed to be playing for a penalty and they finally paid the price.
Black stars and indomitable lions among others to move on
Ghana were the first team to qualify after the 1-1 draw earlier on Tuesday, where the Black Stars defeated Nigeria in away goals in Abuja. Thomas Partey’s first away game was canceled out by William Troost-Ekong’s penalty and Super Eagles fans reacted angrily after their team was knocked out, flooding Ghana players and staff with missiles. Cameroon reached an eighth World Cup qualifier – a record for an African team – after a dramatic final in Algeria. After 1-0 from the first match, Carl Toko-Ekabi’s goal in the first half sent the game into extra time. Algeria seemed to have won thanks to a header by Ahmed Touba in the 118th minute, but Toko-Ekambi struck again in the fourth minute of extra time to stun the Blida home side and draw away at home. Tunisia made consecutive appearances in the World Cup after a goalless draw in Tunisia, which beat Mali 1-0 overall, while Morocco had a relatively comfortable night as a 4-1 home win over the Democratic Republic of the Congo secured a triumph. 5-2 on both feet. Two goals from Azzedine Ounahi and one from Tarik Tissoudali and Achraf Hakimi saw the Atlas Lions close their sixth trip to the finals. The African quintet is now waiting for Friday’s group draw to find out who it will face in Qatar.
