Mané the Hero as Senegal Break Egyptian Resistance to Reach AFCON Final
Sadio Mané proved to be the difference-maker, firing Senegal into the AFCON 2025 final with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over a well set-up Egyptian side at the Ibn Batouta Stadium, Tanger.
The match was defined by Senegal’s relentless pressure and Egypt’s stubborn low block defense, before a moment of opportunistic brilliance from Mané finally shattered the deadlock in the 78th minute.
A Physical Opening Exchange
The contest began with immediate intensity, though the early stages were marred by a series of heavy collisions. Just three minutes in, Gana Gueye’s elbow caught Ashour during an aerial duel, setting a physical tone for the match. Shortly after, Senegal’s Nicolas Jackson was hauled down by an Egyptian midfielder, resulting in an immediate yellow card that would see the player suspended for the final had Egypt progressed.
Senegal’s defensive stability took a major hit in the 23rd minute when captain Kalidou Koulibaly was forced off with a groin injury. Koulibaly, who had already received a yellow card earlier in the half—ruling him out of the final regardless of the result—was replaced by Mamadou Sarr to a standing ovation from the crowd.
Senegal Dominate, Egypt Defend
The Teranga Lions controlled the tempo for much of the first half, boasting 61% possession, but found it incredibly difficult to test El Shenawy. Long-range efforts from Diarra and Gueye were either deflected or comfortably gathered, as Egypt sat deep and invited pressure.
Tempers flared just before the interval when a foul by Mohamed Salah on Sadio Mané sparked a melee involving both sets of players and coaching staff. The referee eventually restored order, but not before Diarra picked up a caution, adding his name to the list of Senegalese players who will miss the final due to suspension.
The Breakthrough
The second half followed a similar pattern. Senegal racked up a staggering seven corners, but the Egyptian defense, led by El Shenawy, seemed impenetrable. Egypt showed almost no attacking intent, content to frustrate the Senegalese attackers and look for a rare counter-attack.
However, the pressure finally told in the 78th minute. A long-range blast from Camara took a lucky deflection off a defender, falling perfectly into the path of Sadio Mané. The talismanic forward didn’t hesitate, lashing a strike through a sea of legs and past El Shenawy into the bottom right corner. The stadium erupted as a VAR check confirmed Mané was onside, handing Senegal the lead they had craved.
A Desperate Finish
The goal forced Egypt coach Hossam Hassan to abandon his defensive shell. Egypt made immediate attacking substitutions, bringing on Ahmed Sayed and Mostafa Mohamed, and threw every player forward in the closing minutes.
Despite the late surge and a nervy four minutes of stoppage time, Senegal’s defense held firm. While the victory is sweet, it comes at a cost: Senegal will head into the final without several key pillars of their squad due to the disciplinary fallout of a bruising encounter in Tanger. As it was in 2021, it is still—four years after—as Mané wins his duel against Salah in this tie
Final Score: Senegal 1-0 Egypt
Goalscorer: Sadio Mané (78’)
