AFCON 2021: Aliou Cisse Marshalls Senegal To Back-to-back Finals

The AFCON is within sight for Aliou Cisse and Senegal once more, but can they finally grab the coveted trophy finally?

Senegal have defeated the Stallions of Burkina Faso by three goals to one, to pick a slot in the finals of the 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.

This is Senegal’s second successive final and their 3rd all round, but they lost to outgoing champions – Algeria, in Egypt, back in 2019.

Goals from Abdou Diallo, Mane, and Bamba Dieng, ensured the Teranga Lions their second straight final in the Africa Cup of Nations.

3. Quick start to the game and at the Third minute, there’s a heavy head collision between Mendy and Cyrille
4. Mane tries to check inside with a hip swivel but he is stopped by Sangare and a free kick is awarded down the left.
5. Just like Mane earlier, Yago was making long strides in the Senegalese half and released the ball to Bertrand Traore whose shot went wide.
6. Sadio Mane started a move that won his side a corner from the left. Sarr took the corner, but Traore cleared on his defensive duties.
7. Bande succeed to nutmeg Koulibaly, but the Napoli skipper recovered to tap it out for a corner, and the corner was dealt with.
8. Left back Ciss received the ball from deep in his half, ran towards the Burkinabe goal and his shot went just wide
9. A nice move from the Teranga Lions on the right sees Kouyate’s miss-hit cross in the hands of Koffi
10. Totally end to end. Sangare combines with Traore whose weaker right foot shot is no problem for goalkeeper Mendy, and on the same passage of play, Mane tested Koffi with a low drive.
11. Sandwiched between three Senegalese defenders, Troare Betrand forced his way in the area before his pull back was side-footed wide by Guira.
12. Bouna Sarr’s corner fell to Famara Diedhiou who knew nothing about it and couldn’t react on time to an alert Burkinabe defense.
13. Dieng’s free header went just wide, and in all fairness, it was a big miss
14. Koffi went for the ball and got a little of the ball as well as a piece of Kouyate, and referee Bamlak whistled for a penalty.
15. Referee Bamlak is called by VAR and overtuns his decision
16. Herve Koffi cannot continue due to the heavy landing experienced and he is replaced by Ouedraogo.
17. A soft touch by Bande sees him receiving the return from Troare, and his shot down the side of Mendy’s right side is parried by the Chelsea man.
18. Mane goes down from an Issa Kabore shuffle and hopes for a penalty, but referee Bamlak waves play on.

45 (6 minutes of added on time) prolly after the injury between Kouyate and Koffi, plus Mendy and Cyrille earlier on.

45+5 Edmond Tapsoba is adjudged to have handled a Gana Gueye shot and the referee once more hands the Teranga Lions a penalty, plus yellow for Tapsoba. But hold on, in the second time on the night, VAR overtuns the penalty decision and Tapsoba’s yellow is overruled.

Halftime!

Start of the second half!

49 Sarr flies into a tackle leaving Guira in a heap. He is shown a yellow card.

55 What a clearance! Koulibaly returns to make a great tackle after Traore was set free by a ball from Dayo.

64 Substitution Burkina: Cyrille out, Zakaria Sanogo – In

68 Substitution Senegal: Pape Gueye in, Kouyate out. Ismael Sarr in, Diedhiou out

Sarr makes his impact felt as he fires a ball into the box, headed out for a corner by Tapsoba.

69 Goal! Abdou Diallo scores after a scuffle in the box. 1-0 for Senegal!

72 Served by Mane, Nampalys Mendy shots straight into the hands of goalkeeper Ouedraogo.

74 Ciss sends in a perfectly weighted cross for Pape Gueye who hits side netting.

76 Goal! Bamba Dieng scores after some hard work by Mane down the right

77 Substitution Senegal: out, Bamba Dieng, in – Pape Sarr

80 Substitution Burkina – Bande out – Abdoul Tapsoba in

81 Out; Adama Guira – in – Djibril Outtara

82Goal Burkina!

Move started by Bertrand Traore, who places on the plate for Kabore who finds Blati. Blati finishes with an unorthodox knee that stuns Mendy(2-1).

Blati slides as Burkina are on the attack, his slip takes the ball out of the feet of Edmond Tapsoba and Mane dink the goalkeeper on the counter, to make it 3-1.

90+3 minutes of added on time. Not much can be done, and Senegal end the game as winners. They will play the winner between Egypt and Cameroon in the finals on Sunday February 6.