Senegal win 2021 AFCON for first time, beat Egypt 4-2 on penalties

Sadio Mane’s kick in the penalty shootout that decided the match, after 120 minutes of goalless action, won the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for Senegal for the first time in the country’s history.

The match was played at the Yaounde’s Olembe Stadium, Cameroon.

Senegal who were previously two-time finalists, dominated the game throughout, and even missed a first half penalty courtesy of a poor kick taken by Sadio Mane, who opted to shoot straight at the Egyptian goalkeeper.

The final match draws the curtains on the much-postponed 33^rd edition of the continental tournament hosted in Cameroon.

Sadio Mane also won the Best Player of the tournament award.

Heading into the final match, Sunday, Senegal were two-time finalist but had never won the trophy, while Egypt are the record holders in the competition having won the trophy for seven times since its inception.

Senegal have reached the final twice, but never won the tournament. Head coach Aliou Cisse was in charge in 2019 and played in the 2002 final defeat to Cameroon, missing a penalty in the shoot-out.

Seven-time winners Egypt, meanwhile, are the most successful nation in AFCON history, last lifting the trophy in 2010.

The Pharaohs of Egypt have not looked particularly exciting under suspended coach Carlos Quieroz in this tournament, needing two penalty shootouts to make it through the knockout stages. They have only scored four goals in normal time during the competition, half of them from Mohamed Salah who they heavily rely on to produce the goods.

They also lost their first match in the competition to Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Senegal scrapped through the group stage thanks to a 1-0 win and two goalless draws, which is nothing to write home about by anyone standards, let alone a supposed top international side, who are also Africa’s highest ranked, according to FIFA.

A day earlier, on Saturday, Cameroon did the impossible to turn a topsy-turvy game on its head and beat Bukina Faso on penalties after a 3-3 draw in the bronze medal match at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Cameroon came from three goals down to draw level forcing the game into penalty shootout.

The AFCON2021 award winners:

Golden Boot winner: Vincent Aboubakar

Player of the Tournament: Sadio Mané

Goalkeeper of the Tournament: Édouard Mendy