Senegal wins Semifinal Final over Egypt 1-0 to Reach AFCON

Senegal defeated Egypt 1-0 to advance to the final of the AFCON tournament.

For years, the Africa Cup of Nations has been one of the most popular football events in all of Africa, with various nations representing their countries and competing for glory. And the semifinal of this year’s exciting tournament saw Senegal produce a 1-0 win over Egypt to book their place in the final. This win was record-breaking for the Senegalese team, who had been in reach in several previous editions but never really ascended to the peak of their ambition. In contrast, Egypt’s elimination was a bitter pill to swallow for a team with one of the richest histories in AFCON, as winners of the tournament a record seven times.

This semifinal was always going to be a titanic clash of two of the giants of African football: Senegal and their talismanic captain, Sadio Mané, against the continuing force of nature, Mohamed Salah. Both sides had been impressive during the whole tournament, so the result of this match was even more important. With two strong nations having prepared strong line-ups and high hopes, it was the recipe for an explosive confrontation.

Senegal’s Road to the Semifinals

Senegal had a clear objective at this year’s AFCON: win the title they’d been pursuing for decades. The Teranga Lions, as they are known, had already proved their mettle at the group stage – they topped their group comfortably with dominating displays. Senegal’s defence was a fortress, and in attack they had the electric Sadio Mané driving them forward; he had been explosive all tournament.

Senegal were clinical against their previous knockout-stage opponents while tireless in their defending. They had to sweat before snatching victory from Equatorial Guinea in the quarter-final, showcasing that everyone in the team can score goals. Led by its coach, Aliou Cissé, Senegal had assembled an exciting mix of experience and youthful talent and was plainly game for this high-stakes semifinal against Egypt.

Egypt’s Road to the Semifinals

Egypt, which has a rich tradition in African football, arrived for the semifinal with the goal of further solidifying their status on the continent. With seven AFCON crowns to their name, Egypt is one of the most successful teams in the history of this competition and could not bear to see such a sad ending to their campaign.

Egypt’s journey had been one of grit and effort, led magnificently by the brilliant Mohamed Salah. One of the finest footballers in the world, Salah was the star of Egypt’s attack. Defeated Egypt’s defence, marshalled by the balding Ahmed Hegazi, was quite sound through the tournament. It wasn't without a few bumps in the knockout stages for them though. They survived the quarterfinals on penalties in a fraught shootout against Ivory Coast, and there was a sense that they would be able to lift themselves for the semifinal, too, against Senegal.

Tactical Approaches for Both Teams

The Senegal-Egypt semifinal was expected to be a tactical match, and it did not disappoint. Senegal – Aliou Cissé (4-3-3) Under the command of Aliou Cissé, Senegal embraced 4-3-3 in disciplined mode, concentrating effort on midfield control and fast attack. Idrissa Gueye, Cheikhou Kouyaté and Pape Gueye formed a midfield trio which gave the team needed defensive stability, as well as creativity to try and break up Egypt’s defence. They had Sadio Mané, who was billed as the one to watch up front, using his excellent pace on and off the ball combined with good vision and finishing skills, which kept constantly threatening Egypt’s defence.

Egypt, on the other hand, were more conservative in their formation, having lined up with a 4-2-3-1. With Salah spearheading the line, Egypt were anticipated to soak up pressure and counter, looking to make use of any space left by a Senegal side which came into the final with plenty of attack-minded full-backs. Stop the play, guys,” Carol Tshabalala said to her co-commentators. “This is a classic two banks of four that Egypt are trying to contain Sadio Mané with.” The defensive axis of Ahmed Hegazi and Mahmoud El-Shaarawy was charged with restricting access to Mané, while going forward midfielders such as Mohamed Nagy “Gedo” and Amr Warda would aim to make chances on the break. It appeared that the Egyptian team’s game plan was to absorb pressure and then break quickly whenever there might have been an opportunity.

Semifinal: Senegal 1, Tunisia 0. A hard-fought 1-0 victory for Senegal

The teams could read it, and as the play got under way, there was an electric atmosphere with both sides really fighting to see who would make it to the final. Senegal started brightly, harrying Egypt high up the pitch and trying to assert their authority from the onset. Egypt, in contrast, hoped to sit back and soak up the pressure, looking for their numerical advantage to lead them to mistakes by Senegal.

First Half: Nerves and Missed Chances

The first half was a tense encounter as both teams struggled to find their rhythm. Senegal controlled possession, but Egypt’s well-drilled defence and swift counter-attacks held them at bay. The best chance of the match arrived in the 22nd minute, when Sadio Mané slalomed a couple of defenders and got a shot off; his effort was blocked by Mohamed El-Shenawy, Egypt’s keeper. Throughout the match, the Egyptian shot-stopper displayed exceptional form, making several crucial saves that instilled hope in his team.

Senegal pushed on, and in the 37th minute a wonderful cross from the right by Ismaïla Sarr was met by the head of Boulaye Dia, though his header passed just over the bar. Egypt’s defence, constantly under assault, held up though, and Hegazi and El-Shaarawy were most impressive in foiling Senegal’s attacking intent.

Egypt had a pair of counter-attacks of their own as the half wound to a close, with Mohamed Salah opening up space on the right. But each time Senegal’s defence, marshalled by the veteran Kalidou Koulibaly, closed it down, and Egypt could not find a way through.

It was 0-0 at halftime; both teams had spells in charge, but neither could find a goal. After all that, the stage was set for a "too close to call" second 40.

Second Half: The Decisive Goal

The second period opened with both sides looking for the breakthrough. Senegal continued to push, and they broke through in the 57th minute. Sadio Mané produces a moment of magic as he takes on his man and runs at the Egyptian goal. El-Shenawy narrowed the angle, and Mané passed it calmly across to Boulaye Dia, who was in a great position to finish. Dia’s shot was surgical, and it nestled in the back of the net to give Senegal a 1-0 lead.

The Senegalese players celebrated as they took the lead, but Egypt wouldn’t go quietly. Salah, who had been largely stifled by Senegal’s defence, attempted to lead the response for his team. Egypt then threw numbers forward in attack, making a handful of aggressive late substitutions all the while searching for an equaliser, although each effort was denied by Senegal’s defence.

Egypt pressed more aggressively as the minutes passed, but Senegal’s well-organised defence, anchored by Koulibaly and Abdou Diallo, proved difficult to dismantle. El-Shenawy had one final grab at the dying ends of play, but Senegal held on to their slender 1-0 lead.

Senegal’s Victory: A Historic Moment

When the referee ultimately lifted his whistle to his mouth, Senegal had won 1-0 and advanced to the final. The players and fans celebrated as they knew their first-ever AFCON title was a game away. The victory for Senegal was also a demonstration of their tactical discipline, their team's cohesion, and the individual brilliance of their best players, like Mané, Dia, and Gueye.

Coach Aliou Cissé’s project finally made sense; the Senegalese team could now dream of making history by bringing back home the AFCON cup for the first time ever. The win was also historic for Senegalese football, as the national team had made it to the final once before in 2002 but lost to Cameroon on a penalty shoot-out. Now, they were poised to advance further.

Egypt’s Disappointment: A Tough Loss

For Egypt, the defeat was hard to swallow. Even with a spectacular tournament run and individual play from Mohamed Salah, they came up just short in the semifinal. The Pharaohs had been defensively efficient in the tournament, but they could not unlock Senegal’s defence, and their offence was also too dependent on Salah’s heroics.

It was all over for Egypt – their AFCON challenge may have ended, but at least they could leave the competition with their heads held high, considering what they had already given. Coach Carlos Queiroz would say this was the one that got away, but Egypt’s future in African football looks bright and healthy with this kind of talent.

Up Next: The Final That Awaits Senegal

After their win, Senegal are now in the AFCON final, as they face either Cameroon or Burkina Faso in a game to be played on Sunday that will decide the continent’s top team. Senegal will have to play their best ever football to finally grab the silverware that they deserve. It should be a cracking final, and Senegal will be confident about their chances with the way they are playing.

For now, though, the victory is a moment that Senegal and their fans can cherish. It has taken years of near misses; they are finally one step from the summit in African football. On to the final, which seems destined to cap this enthralling tournament in unforgettable fashion.