AFCON 2021 Final: Mane scores a decisive penalty as Senegal beat Egypt to lift first ever AFCON title

• Senegal are the African champions at the recent AFCON.

The 33rd edition AFCON in Cameroon has come to an end with the Teranga Lions winning their first AFCON title after thrashing Egypt in a Penalty shootout.

The fans of Cameroon came in their numbers to support Senegal following their disappointing penalty shootout defeat to Egypt at the semi-final stage.

Senegal started the game with a penalty reward in the early minutes but Liverpool’s Sadio Mane missed the chance through a great save by the Egyptian goalkeeper, Gabal.

The Teranga Lions who suffered a narrow defeat to Algeria in the last edition’s final but aimed to take revenge to win their first-ever AFCON trophy against another North African giant, helped coach Aliu Cisse to pen down a history.

Coach Cisse was a captain for the Senegal national team who lost at the finals of the 2002 AFCON.

It was a battle between two Liverpool stars, Sadio Mane and Mohammed Salah. The two stars have had a great record and performance with Liverpool in the EPL, helping them to win the 2019 UEFA Champions League after so many years.

Senegal carried the most threat and was causing Egypt all kinds of problems out wide in the game. Had Mane scored from the spot, he might have shocked Egypt out of their usual Queiroz-era attritional approach of niggly fouls, time-wasting, and opportunistic counter-punching via the brilliance of Salah. But Egypt disrupted the service down the right latterly and was poised for a smash and grab as Senegal grow ever more frustrated.

The two goalkeepers for both sides Gabal and Mendy had a scintillating performance, throwing up their arms to deny the strikers a goal.

After the full 90, another 30 minutes of extra time was played with no goal recorded but Senegal fought to win their first-ever AFCON title on a penalty shootout with a 4-2 scoreline.

Sadio Mane was the game hero after kicking the last penalty, scoring to hand the Senegalese national team a sensational win following Mendy’s save to deny the eight-times champions.