Mane’s Decisive Strike Sends Senegal into Another AFCON Final as Egypt Exit

Sadio Mané delivered a moment of brilliance to propel Senegal into the Africa Cup of Nations final, scoring the decisive goal that ended Egypt’s campaign and once again denied Mohamed Salah his long-awaited AFCON title.

The Liverpool forward struck at a crucial moment in a tense semi-final encounter, underlining his importance to the Teranga Lions and confirming their place in the final for the third time in the last four editions of the tournament. Senegal, the reigning champions, showed composure, tactical discipline and experience to edge past a resilient Egyptian side that had hoped this year would finally bring continental glory to Salah.

Despite Egypt’s spirited performance and flashes of quality from their captain, Senegal’s organised approach and clinical finishing proved decisive. Mané’s winner sparked celebrations among Senegal’s players and supporters, reinforcing their status as one of Africa’s most consistent and dominant national teams in recent years.

For Egypt, the defeat marked another painful chapter in their AFCON journey under Salah’s leadership. While the Pharaohs once again fell short of lifting the trophy, their run to the semi-finals highlighted renewed competitiveness and offered encouragement for the future as they continue rebuilding with a blend of experience and emerging talent.

Senegal will now turn their attention to Sunday’s final, where they will face either Nigeria or Morocco, both of whom remain strong contenders. With confidence high and momentum firmly on their side, the champions will be aiming to successfully defend their title and further cement their place at the summit of African football.