Senegal edged Egypt 1–0 to secure a place in the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, repeating their triumph over the Pharaohs in the 2021 final and extending their dominance on the continental stage.
The win stretched Senegal’s impressive unbeaten run against African opposition to 12 matches (11 wins, one draw), underlining the Lions of Teranga’s growing authority in African football.
The first half was tense but largely uneventful. Egypt failed to register a single shot before the break, offering little going forward, while Senegal struggled to turn possession into clear-cut chances. Goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy was rarely tested, comfortably dealing with efforts from Habib Diarra and Pape Gueye, while Nicolas Jackson wasted a promising opening by firing over the bar.
Senegal were dealt a blow when captain Kalidou Koulibaly was forced off with injury. Koulibaly and Diarra also picked up yellow cards, which would have ruled them out of the final had Senegal been eliminated.
After the interval, the pattern remained the same. Senegal continued to push, but Egypt’s defence stayed compact and disciplined. With space limited, the West Africans resorted to shots from distance, though substitute Lamine Camara could only strike straight at El Shenawy.
The breakthrough finally came in the 78th minute. Sadio Mané collected the ball on the edge of the area and curled a stunning effort into the net, a moment of quality that decided the contest.
The goal was Mané’s fifth direct goal contribution of the tournament and his 11th AFCON goal overall, drawing him level with Mohamed Salah on the competition’s all-time scoring chart.
Egypt showed little response after falling behind, finishing the match with just one shot on target and lacking urgency in the closing stages. Senegal, in contrast, managed the game confidently to reach the AFCON final for the third time in their last five appearances.
For Egypt, it was a disappointing end to their campaign and a missed chance to reach a record-extending 10th AFCON final. For Senegal, the quest to retain their continental crown remains very much alive.
