Sadio Mané Outshines Mohamed Salah to Send Senegal to the AFCON Final

Sadio Mané once again proved to be the difference maker in a high-profile showdown against Mohamed Salah. The Al Nassr winger scored the decisive goal that sent Senegal to the Africa Cup of Nations final after a dramatic 1–0 victory over Egypt in the semifinals, reinforcing his dominance over his former Liverpool teammate at international level.

The Senegalese star followed a familiar script. Just as he did in the 2021 AFCON final and in the playoff that sent Senegal to the Qatar World Cup, Mané once again crushed Salah’s hopes in a knockout clash. This time, a late goal was enough to eliminate Egypt from the tournament.

The match began with intensity and physical battles from the opening whistle. Senegal took control of possession, while Egypt relied on a compact defensive block and quick counterattacks led by Salah and Omar Marmoush. That tactical approach kept the score level for most of the night.

Early yellow cards and the injury-forced exit of Kalidou Koulibaly disrupted the rhythm of the game, but Senegal continued to dominate territory and looked for solutions through long-range shots against Egypt’s well-organized back line.

With the game locked in stalemate and clear chances scarce, Sadio Mané delivered when Senegal needed him most. Around the 80th minute, the forward collected a loose ball outside the box and unleashed a powerful shot to the near post, beating goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy and igniting celebrations across the Senegalese bench.

The goal confirmed a growing trend in head-to-head battles between the two African superstars: Mané once again emerged victorious over Salah in a decisive continental encounter. Egypt pushed forward in the closing minutes, but Senegal closed down the spaces and protected their lead with composure. Salah was unable to find the time or freedom to change the outcome and was once again left in Mané’s shadow.

With this victory, Senegal advance to another Africa Cup of Nations final, where they will face the winner of Morocco vs Nigeria. Sadio Mané adds yet another defining moment to his AFCON legacy and strengthens his status as the undisputed leader of the Senegal national team.