Accra, Feb.4, GNA – The 33rd African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament, after witnessing an exciting journey so far, will see the Lions of Teranga, Senegal come up against eight times champions, the Pharaohs of Egypt in the finals on Sunday, February 6, at the Olembe Stadium, in Younde, Cameroon.
Mane’s Senegal, thrashed Burkina Faso by 3-1 in the semi-final stage of the competition to book their spot in the finals for the second consecutive time, while host nation, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon were also kicked out by Salah’s Egypt in a decisive penalty shootout.
The finals of the 2021 AFCON would feature two of Liverpool’s top strikers, Sadio Mane and Mohammed Salah, each battling for their first AFCON trophy.
The two players have contributed to their team’s success with Sadio Mane scoring three goals for Senegal and providing two assists. Egypt’s Mohammed Salah also has two goals to his credit.
Senegal after eliminating Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea and Burkina Faso, would come into this game hoping to grab their first AFCON trophy having been defeated on two different occasions, losing to Cameroon in 2002 and to Algeria in 2019.
Coach Aliou Cisse, having the likes of Skipper Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Sadio Mane, Idrissa Gana and the likes, would be hoping to win their first ever AFCON trophy after bottling their chances in the previous years.
The Pharaohs of Egypt, regarded as the most successful African country and seven times winners of the tournament, would come into this final hoping to secure their eighth AFCON trophy after they last won it in 2010.
Salah’s Egypt in their journey to the finals eliminated Cote D’ Ivoire, Morocco and Cameroon and would be hoping to conquer Mane’s Senegal to be crowned champions of the 33rd AFCON tournament.
The two sides after Sunday’s final would face each other once more in the 2022 World Cup Qualifier Playoffs.
GNA