Who: Egypt vs Senegal
Content: CAF Africa Cup of Nations
Location: Ibn Battuta Stadium, Tangier, Morocco
Date and time: Wednesday 6pm (GMT 17:00)
How to follow: All content will be broadcast on Al Jazeera Sports from 14:00 GMT, ahead of the text commentary stream.
Superstar Mohamed Salah is one step closer to realizing his lifelong dream of winning the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) with Egypt as the Pharaohs aim for a record-extending eighth continental title in Morocco.
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The 33-year-old forward went on to win major accolades with Liverpool, including the Premier League and Champions League titles, but missed out on Africa’s most coveted award. Two-time AFCON runner-up Salah will be aiming to finally take a step forward with his next challenge facing pre-tournament favorites Senegal in the first semi-final on Wednesday.
Senegal, Africa’s second-highest ranked country and ranked 19th in the world, reached the AFCON semi-finals for the third time in the last four. With players like Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly, Teranga Lions have no shortage of talent or depth across their squad.
Here’s what you need to know before the Senegal vs. Egypt showdown.
How did Senegal reach the AFCON semi-finals?
Senegal finished the group stage undefeated, recording two wins and one draw, leading Group D with seven points, ahead of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on goal difference.
In the round of 16, they overcame an early scare and defeated lower-ranked Sudan 3-1. In the quarterfinals, Senegal narrowly defeated neighboring West African country Mali 1-0, becoming the first team to advance to the final four.
How did Egypt reach the semi-finals?
Egypt performed similarly in the group stage, finishing first in Group B with seven points.
They defeated Benin 3-1 in the round of 16 and defeated title holders Ivory Coast 3-2 in a thrilling quarter-final.
Who will the winner face in Sunday’s AFCON final?
The winner of this match will face the winner of the second semi-final between Nigeria and hosts Morocco.
Who is Senegal’s best player?
Striker Nicholas Jackson and central midfielder Papu Gueye both scored twice in a match-winning performance, while Sherif Ndiaye also found the back of the net twice, both coming off the bench.
Veteran winger Mane remains a key player for Senegal, along with midfielder Iliman Ndiaye, whose decisive contribution helped them reach the semi-finals, while 17-year-old sensation Ibrahim Mbaye continues to play with a maturity far beyond his years.
Who is Egypt’s best player?
Arguably the biggest star in African football of his generation, Salah is Egypt’s top scorer in the competition with four goals and is tied for second on the AFCON top scorers list behind Morocco’s Brahim Dias.
Liverpool’s attacking winger arrived in Morocco without reaching his usual world-class standards, but Salah quickly returned to his red-hot form that earned him the nickname ‘The King of Egypt’.
The exceptionally talented Manchester City forward Omar Marmouche (2 goals) leads Egypt’s attacking line, while centre-back Rami Rabia and midfielder Hamdi Fati are the main figures in defence.
Senegal and Egypt form guide
(All competitions, latest results displayed first)
Senegal: WDWWL
Egypt: WWWWW
direct confrontation
Senegal and Egypt have faced each other 15 times in friendlies and official matches.
In terms of head-to-head results, Egypt has a slight advantage with seven wins, while Senegal has six wins. The two matches ended in a draw.
When was the last time Senegal and Egypt met?
The last time the two teams met was in March 2022 in the FIFA World Cup qualifying play-offs. This match was the second leg of the playoffs, and Senegal won 3-1 in a penalty shootout as Egypt failed to qualify for the world tournament.
Salah missed a penalty in that final.
Has Senegal ever won an AFCON title?
This is Senegal’s 18th appearance, and their best result was their first victory at AFCON 2021 in Cameroon.
He has also been runner-up twice in 2002 and 2019.
Has Egypt ever won an AFCON title?
yes. Egypt has won the AFCON seven times, winning the title in 1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008 and 2010.
He has been runner-up three times in 1962, 2017, and 2021.
Senegal team news
Senegal coach Pape Thiau has no worries about another injury.
Expected composition of Senegal
Edouard Mendy (goalkeeper); Crepin Diatta, Kalidou Koulibaly, Moussa Niahate, Malick Diouf. Ramin Kamara, Idrissa Gana Guye, Pape Gueye. Iliman Ndiayi, Habib Mohamadou Diallo, Sadio Mane
egypt team news
Midfielder Mohamed Hamdi, who was injured in the round of 16, is absent. Otherwise, coach Hossam Hassan has a good fit in the team.
Egypt’s expected lineup
Mohamed El-Shennawy (goalkeeper); Yasser Ibrahim, Hossam Abdelmaguid, Rami Rabia. Mohamed Hany, Marwan Ateya, Hamdi Fatih, Ahmed Abu El Fotouh. Imam Ashour. Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmouche
