Salah, Mane set for Afcon final showdown

In Yaounde

Two of English Premier League’s biggest stars will be the centre of attraction at the final of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon on Sunday.

Liverpool duo, Sadio Mane of Senegal and Mohamed Salah of Egypt will face each other in the final. Salah’s Egypt, seven-time record holders, defeated hosts Cameroon 3-1 on penalties at the end of a goalless 120 minutes at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde on Thursday to reach the final.

Egyptian goalkeeper, Mohamed Abou Gabal "Gabaski" was the hero after saving two penalties in the shoot-out. The Zamalek goalkeeper stopped uninspiring kicks from AS Saint-Etienne defender, Harold Moukoudi and Middlesbrough midfielder, James Lea Siliki before Dynamo Moscow forward, Clinton Njie blazed wide ending Cameroon’s dreams for a victory before bursting in tears.

Salah scored Egypt’s fifth penalty to hand the Pharaohs 5-4 victory over the Elephants of Ivory Coast in their round of 16 fixture at the Japoma Stadium in Douala on January 26, but the EPL top scorer was not needed as his side advanced to the final.

Mane’s Senegal had already booked their second straight final spot when the Liverpool ace found his scoring touch, assisting and netting in the Teranga Lions’ 3-1 victory over Burkina Faso in Yaounde on Wednesday.

The Liverpool duo have had so far had a prolific performance since the knockout stages leading their national teams from the front and always rising to the occasion when required.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp could have been forgiven for wishing both players had been knocked out of the tournament sooner so they could return to Anfield, but he expressed delight for the attacking duo on Friday.

"It is a great achievement for both getting through to the final," Klopp said in a press conference ahead of his team's FA Cup tie against Cardiff on Sunday.

That game will be played just a few hours before the Cup of Nations climax at the Olembe Stadium.

"So far it's been a really successful tournament for our boys. It will be exciting.

"Now it's obviously not so easy because one will definitely be really happy after and the other one much less so, but both have a good chance to achieve something really big."

Losing finalists

It will be a second Afcon final appearance for Salah, a member of the Egypt team beaten by Cameroon in the 2017 showpiece in Libreville.

The 29-year-old has already admitted his determination to lift the Cup of Nations for his country, having made his international debut in 2011, a year after they won their last continental title.

"This trophy for me would be completely different. It would be the closest one to my heart," Salah, who has won the Premier League and Champions League at Liverpool, said earlier in the tournament.

Mane has endured similar disappointment at the Cup of Nations, playing in the Senegal team that lost to Algeria in the final in Egypt in 2019.

The Lions of Teranga are Africa's top-ranked national team but have never been continental champions, in stark contrast to Egypt and their record seven titles.

Both players have already starred in Cameroon, with Mane netting three times for Senegal and setting up goals in both the quarter-final against Equatorial Guinea and the semi-final.

'Guide and leader'

Salah has scored two goals and converted the decisive penalty in Egypt's shoot-out win over the Ivory Coast in the last 16.

He was shut out of most of the semi-final by the Cameroon defence, but Egypt hope he will be lead them to victory on Sunday.

"Salah is not only the best player in Egypt but a world-class player and his presence is a boost for the other members of the team," said Egypt assistant coach Diaa al-Sayed, speaking after coach Carlos Queiroz was sent off in the semi-final.

"He is a guide and a leader. His presence is so crucial for us. He came here to win and we hope he will."

Mane admitted beating Burkina Faso was challenging.

“We knew it was not going to be easy at all to get to two straight Afcon finals, but the most important thing for us now is to go all the way and win it,” the Liverpool star told journalists after emerging man of the match in their 3-1 semi-final win.

Salah and Mane will no doubt be the centre of attraction during the final, but they are just two of at least seven EPL players in both squads.

Arsenal’s Mohamed Elneny and Aston Villa’s Mohamed Trezeguet join Salah on the Pharaohs’ side while Chelsea's Edouard Mendy, Crystal Palace’s Cheikhou Kouyate, Leicester City's Nampalys Mendy and Watford’s Ismaila Sarr join Mane on the Teranga Lions’ side.

It will be the first time the duo have come up against each other at international level since they became teammates at Liverpool, but it will not be the last time this year.

Sunday's match is the first of a series of huge clashes to come between Senegal and Egypt as they have also been drawn to play each other in a two-leg World Cup qualifying play-off in March.

Only one will make it to the finals in Qatar later this year, and only one will be crowned African champion on Sunday.

Additional reporting by AFP