Senegal vs Egypt LIVE: Afcon final penalty shootout result and reaction as Sadio Mane scores winner

Egypt’s Mohamed Salah believes his team are capable of winning the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 12 years and hopes to achieve a personal goal of winning a big tournament for his country. Salah said:

Senegal’s Sadio Mane says that the experience of losing the 2019 Afcon final will be a ‘good asset’ for his team as they look to win the tournament for the very first time. He feels as though the squad is in a good place and has the ability to defeat seven-time champions Egypt tonight saying:

Both managers make just one change to their starting XIs from the teams that played their respective semi-finals

Aliou Cisse brings Ismaila Sarr into the line-up in place of Bamba Dieng and Carlos Quieroz replaces Omar Kamal with Emam Ashour.

Senegal XI: E. Mendy, B. Sarr, Koullibaly, Diallo, Ciss, N. Mendy, Kouyate, I. Sarr, Gueye, Mane, Diedhou

Egypt XI: Gabaski, Ashour, Abdelmonem, Hamdi El Wensh, El Fotouh. Elneny, Fathy, El Soleya, Salah, Mohamed, Marmoush

The English interest in this match - other than witnessing the exciting nature of African football - is of course seeing Sadio Mane and Mo Salah go head-to-head.

They’re mightily impressive when playing together for Liverpool and have carried that form into this tournament for their respective nations.

Sadio Mane has provided three goals and two assists during the tournament so far, including a goal to wrap up victory in the semi-final on Wednesday.

Mo Salah meanwhile has netted twice and recorded one assist during Egypt’s journey to the final, as well as holding his nerve to convert the clinching penalty in the last-16 shootout.

Egypt have had a tougher times of things. They lost their opening group game to Nigeria but responded with wins over Guinea-Bissau and Sudan to finished second in Group D.

In the knockouts stages they’ve come up against two big names in Ivory Coast and Cameroon and had to defeat both in penalty shootouts either side of a 2-1 quarter-final win over Morocco - a game that also went to extra-time.

Every one of Egypt’s three knockout games has gone 120 minutes with two resulting in penalty shootouts. They are a tough team to score against and with Senegal’s players likely to be fresher it will a case of defence first when they kick off tonight.

Senegal have been impressive throughout the competition and may be slightly favoured to win the whole thing when the game kicks off in just over an hour’s time.

Senegal made it through the group stages unbeaten although they only won one of their games (1-0 vs Zimbabwe). They drew the other two 0-0 to top Group B and set up a last-16 tie with Cape Verde. Another win and clean sheet followed as they won 2-0 before consecutive 3-1 victories saw them knockout Equatorial Guinea and Burkina Faso on route to the final.

Senegal came runners-up in the previous edition of the competition back in 2019 and are again one final hurdle away from lifting the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time.

Liverpool’s Sadio Mane has been instrumental in helping his country make it this far and will hope to avoid the heartbreak of another final defeat.

He’ll com up against an Egyptian team captained by Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah who are aiming to further consolidate their status as the most successful nation in the competition’s history.

Egypt last reached the final in 2017 but lost to current hosts Cameroon.

History is going to be made tonight as Senegal and Egypt compete in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations. Senegal have never lifted the trophy despite making it to the final in 2002 and 2019 and will be hoping that the third time’s the charm as the go up against Egypt tonight.

Conversely Egypt are the most successful nation in the competition. They’ve won the cup seven times and would make it a record-breaking eighth win if they’re successful this evening. It’s been 12 years since the Pharaohs last won the tournament and they look determined to set that right this year.

Follow live updates from the Africa Cup of Nations final as Senegal face Egypt to decide what has been a thrilling tournament in Cameroon. After four weeks of competition, the final sees the continent’s two best players in Senegal’s Sadio Mane and Egypt’s Mohamed Salah compete for a first international honour, with both star forwards having played integral roles in their respective nation’s run to the final.

Senegal, the tournament favourites, are aiming to win the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time after they lost in the final to Algeria in 2019. They defeated Burkina Faso 3-1 in the semi-finals and after a slow start, strength in depth has proved key for Aliou Cisse’s side, with goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, defender Kalidou Koulibaly and midfielder Idrissa Gueye all helping to form a formidable starting eleven.

Egypt, meanwhile, have prevailed through two penalty shoot-outs during the knockout stages. Under veteran coach Carlos Queiroz, Egypt knocked out Ivory Coast and hosts Cameroon on penalties, either side of a extra-time victory over Morocco. While Salah is their talisman, the Pharaohs have frustrated their opponents thanks to their defensive shape and organisation, and are aiming to win the title for a record eighth time.