Senegal win their maiden AFCON title defeating Egypt 4-2 on penalties

After heading into the tournament as one of the favorites Senegal have won the African cup of nations by defeating Egypt 4-2 on penalties. This is their first AFCON win in their history, and here are the three key points from the win. 

Mane brings it home for Senegal 

The Liverpool star has solidified himself as arguably the greatest player in the history of Senegal, by winning the country their maiden AFCON title. Mane netted the winning penalty to end Egypt’s hopes of adding to their tally, and got the better of his Liverpool teammate, Mo Salah, in a dream-match scenario. 

After his display in the tournament, Mane was named the AFCON player of the tournament as well. With all that he has achieved for club and country, Mane can now be considered one of the greatest African footballers ever, without a doubt. 

Gabaski named man of the match 

There was nothing to separate the two teams at the end of open play, with the scoreline reading 0-0 heading into penalties. Egypt goalkeeper Gabaski kept Sadio Mane and Senegal at bay throughout the game, and was named the man of the match despite being beaten from the penalty spot in the shootout. 

Heartbreak for Egypt 

After overcoming three of the best teams in the tournament, Ivory Coast, Morocco and Cameroon, Egypt had set themselves up for a very strong finish. But they fell short of the mark despite their remarkable display in the knockout stages. The runners up are joined by Cameroon, who achieved third place in the tournament.