Liverpool teammates Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are getting ready to face off against each other in the Africa Cup of Nations final in Cameroon this weekend after Egypt beat the hosts on penalties on Thursday to set up a clash with Senegal.
Egyptian captain Salah did not need to step up in the semi-final shootout as Cameroon failed three times from the spot, allowing the Pharaohs to win 3-1 on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes here.
Senegal forward Sadio Mane
That was after Mane starred with a goal and an assist as Senegal overcame Burkina Faso to win 3-1 in the first semi-final a day earlier. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp could have been forgiven for wishing both players had been knocked out of the tournament sooner so they could return to Anfield, but he expressed delight for the attacking duo on Friday.
‘Great achievement’
“It is a great achievement for both getting through to the final,” Klopp said ahead of his team’s FA Cup tie against Cardiff on Sunday. That game will be played just a few hours before the Cup of Nations climax at the Olembe Stadium.
Liverpool boss Klopp
“So far it’s been a really successful tournament for our boys. It will be exciting. Now it’s obviously not so easy because one will definitely be really happy after and the other one much less so, but both have a good chance to achieve something really big.”
It will be a second AFCON final appearance for Salah, a member of the Egypt team beaten by Cameroon in the 2017 showpiece in Libreville.
Mane has endured similar disappointment at the Cup of Nations, playing in the Senegal team that lost to Algeria in the final in 2019. The Lions of Teranga are Africa’s top-ranked national team but have never been continental champions, in stark contrast to Egypt and their record seven titles. Both players have already starred in Cameroon, with Mane netting three times for Senegal and setting up goals in both the quarter-final against Equatorial Guinea and the semi-final.
Salah has scored two goals and converted the decisive penalty in Egypt’s shoot-out win over the Ivory Coast in the Last 16. He was shut out of most of the semi-final by the Cameroon defence, but Egypt hope he will be lead them to victory on Sunday.
Egypt coach confident
“Salah is not only the best player in Egypt but a world-class player and his presence is a boost for the other members of the team,” said Egypt assistant coach Diaa al-Sayed, after coach Carlos Queiroz was sent off in the semis. “He is a guide and a leader. His presence is so crucial for us. He came here to win and we hope he will.”
Egypt want final to be delayed by a day
Yaounde: Egypt called on Africa Cup of Nations organisers to delay this weekend’s final against Senegal to give them more time to prepare after overcoming hosts Cameroon on penalties in Thursday’s semi-final. “I want to state to all CAF authorities that Senegal have one extra day to train and therefore maybe we should play the final on Monday,” suggested Egypt’s assistant coach Diaa al-Sayed, who was speaking after coach Carlos Queiroz was shown a red card during the semi-final.
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