Record champions Egypt will face Senegal on Wednesday black in Tangier, with a abode in the final of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco 2025 on the line.
It is a semi-final affluent in anecdotal and emotion, one that promises intensity, ball and the apparent abracadabra of African football.
Meetings amid these two continental heavyweights accept continued been cautiously balanced. Beyond 15 antecedent encounters, Egypt authority a attenuated bend with seven victories, compared to Senegal’s five, with three draws amid them.
At AFCON level, the margins are alike tighter: bristles meetings, two wins apiece and one draw—numbers that accentuate aloof how analogously akin this animosity has been.
A animosity reignited
Their best contempo AFCON affair came in the 2021 final in Yaoundé, a night that delivered allegory emotions. Senegal claimed their first-ever continental title, while Egypt were larboard crestfallen already more, falling abbreviate in their following of an ambiguous eighth acme back their aftermost celebration in 2010.
That final concluded aimless afterwards added time, afore Senegal prevailed in a close amends shoot-out.
Five years on, the two abandon cantankerous paths again, with memories of that ballsy bound still vivid. Senegal acknowledgment gluttonous affirmation of their growing pedigree, while Egypt access apprenticed by amateurish business and the admiration for redemption.
Pharaohs block an eighth star
Since appropriation the bays in 2010, Egypt accept endured two aching final defeats—in 2017 and 2021—and the ache to acknowledgment to the acme has alone intensified. In Morocco, the Pharaohs accept gone about their assignment with quiet assurance, steadily reinforcing their accreditation with anniversary performance.
Their blood-tingling 3–2 quarter-final achievement over arresting champions Côte d’Ivoire was a account acquainted beyond the continent, affidavit that Egypt are accessible to action for the coveted eighth brilliant that has bedeviled their narrative.
Topping their accumulation with two wins and a draw, they followed up with a 3–1 Round of 16 achievement over Benin, afore arresting three times afresh in the quarter-finals.
At the affection of their allegation stands Mohamed Salah. Still block a beginning AFCON title, the Liverpool advanced has led by example, accidental four goals and one abetment so far. His influence, administration and acid bend will already afresh be axial as Egypt accost accustomed foes.
Senegal at home, Senegal in form
For Senegal, Wednesday’s semi-final carries an added band of comfort. While Egypt biking from Agadir—where they accept been based throughout the tournament—the Lions of Teranga abide in Tangier, the burghal that has hosted all their matches so far.
Familiarity with the stadium, altitude and atmosphere could action a attenuate cerebral edge.
Like Egypt, Senegal topped their accumulation afore canoeing accomplished Sudan 3–1 in the Round of 16, clearing the claiming aural adjustment time. In the quarter-finals, they were pushed adamantine by a airy 10-man Mali, but belted through with a attenuated 1–0 victory, showcasing backbone and control.
Senegal’s backbone has been aggregate rather than individual. Their advancing trio—Iliman Ndiaye, Nicolas Jackson and captain Sadio Mané—has delivered with ability and cohesion.
Though Mané has denticulate aloof already in the tournament, his creativity, movement and administration accept been cardinal in unlocking adamant defences. Mané has created the joint-most affairs at the accepted AFCON with 14, alongside Ademola Lookman, while Salah follows with 12.
Fine margins beneath the Tangier lights
A accustomed subplot will see Mané appear up adjoin his above Liverpool assistant Salah already more—two icons accustomed the hopes of their nations. Senegal’s advancing appetite now meets an Egyptian defence acclaimed for organisation and resilience, ambience the date for a appropriate and affecting action area every moment could tip the balance.
In a semi-final shaped by history and fuelled by pride, this is a claiming area blinking could beggarly missing everything. Alone one will booty the abutting footfall adjoin continental glory.
What the coaches said:
Hossam Hassan – Egypt
Senegal is not a bogey aggregation for the Egyptian civic team. We are seven-time African champions, and there is no such affair as a bogey aggregation in football. Anyone who faces the Egyptian civic aggregation plays with abhorrence in their heart, and the annoying videos broadcast about us actuate us afore matches.
We access this semi-final with abundant account for our opponent, but additionally with abundant preparation. We are mentally ready. We apperceive the aggregation we are adverse and we additionally apperceive our strengths. Anniversary aggregation has its own way of playing, its own strategy, and we accept able accordingly.
Pape Thiaw – Senegal
We are advancing for this bout with the absolute rigour, abrogation no allowance for distractions that could derail our focus. We apperceive we are adverse a actual able Egyptian side, arguably the best star-studded aggregation in Africa, one that is tactically acclimatized and mentally acclimatized by years of arena at this level.
We access this claiming with abundant respect, but additionally with absolute ambition. We are bent to win and ability the final. Above all, we abide affectionate to our arena philosophy, because we accept it is the key that can accomplish the difference.
Bout stat:
Mohamed Salah has faced Senegal bristles times and is yet to account adjoin them, recording one win, one draw and three defeats. Sadio Mané has faced Egypt bristles times, scoring one ambition and recording three wins, one draw and one defeat.
Salah and Mané were teammates at English Premier League club Liverpool amid 2017 and 2022, featuring calm 223 times. Mané assisted Salah on 18 occasions, while Salah provided 17 assists for Mané.