For Mohamed Salah, it was a familiar feeling of anguish on the international stage. In a stale and largely uneventful affair in Morocco, it was Sadio Mane's thumping effort 12 minutes from time that was enough to secure Senegal's place in Sunday's final. This was not in the script for Salah nor Egypt, who arrived in Morocco last month openly targeting a first Afcon title since 2010. Speaking to BBC World Service after the game, Mane said of his former Liverpool team-mate: "It is not easy for him - but still best of luck. In the 2021 Afcon final, Mane - still at Liverpool with Salah - scored the decisive spot-kick to upset Egypt and clinch his nation's maiden title.

Source: BBC January 14, 2026 22:02 UTC