Senegal has won their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations in their 16th participation in the tournament, becoming the 15th different nation to win the competition.
After four weeks of competition, the final saw the continent’s two best players in Senegal’s Sadio Mane and Egypt’s Mohamed Salah compete for a first international honor, with both stars forwards having played integral roles in their respective nation’s run to the final.
An intense contest went all the way to penalties where Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy kept out substitute Mohanad Lasheen’s attempt, leaving Liverpool’s Mane, who had earlier missed a spot-kick in normal time, to step up and win it. And the Reds striker made no mistake from 12 yards a second time around to secure a 4-2 victory and give his country a first-ever victory in the tournament.
It was no more than Senegal deserved after dominating for long periods only to be denied repeatedly denied by Egypt goalkeeper Gabaski as the game finished goalless after 120 grueling minutes. Mane’s winning kick sparked jubilant scenes for Senegal and deep disappointment for Egypt
Sadio Mane scored the winning spot-kick as Senegal claimed a first-ever Africa Cup of Nations title with a 4-2 penalty shootout victory over seven-time winners Egypt in Yaounde on Sunday.
Mane had missed an early penalty in the game but stepped up to make history for the West African nation, and banish the memories of their 2019 failure when they lost the final to Algeria.
Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saved Mohanad Lasheen in the shootout to allow Mane the chance to seal the win and gain just reward for Senegal, who had been by far the better side in the final but spurned numerous opportunities to win the game.
