Pharaoh still rules. Even with a transparent Mohamed Salah, who will find his accomplice Sadio Mané in the final, the Egyptians won after a third extension in a row, which could well do business for Senegal, qualified the day before (3-1 against Burkina faso).
Senegal is aiming for a first title, after two lost finals (2002 and 2019), Egypt an eighth, to extend its record.
Cameroon (5 CAN) will not come close. Like 50 years earlier against Congo (1-0), his African Cup at home ended in the semis.
The Olembé stadium began to empty after the second shot on goal saved by Mohamed Abou Gabal “Gabaski”, that of James Léa-Siliki, after already the failure of Harold Moukoudi. Cameroonians no longer believed in it.
The stadium was already not even half full, for this first match since the eight deaths during a stampede, which chilled the public.
Gabaski, goalkeeper number 2, hero against Côte d’Ivoire in the round of 16 (0-0, 5 pens to 4), in the absence of Mohamed El-Shenawy, still injured, did not even have to stop the fourth shot, Clinton Njié sent it over the bar.
Its captain and top scorer, Vincent Aboubakar (6 goals), had converted the first well, but it was the only gesture he really succeeded in his match.
A very close game
As in the 1986 final in Cairo (0-0, 5 tab to 4), the Pharaohs won the penalty shootout.
It had to come to this after a very closed meeting.
Symbol of this tense match, the Portuguese coach of Egypt, Carlos Queiroz, was excluded for two yellow cards of dispute at the end of the match (87th and 90th).
Each team had a huge chance, a header from Michael Ngadeu on the square (18th) and a face-to-face loss by Mohamed Salah with André Onana (56th).
The Indomitable Lions completely smothered Egypt in the first half, but failed to score.
The Pharaohs only put their nose to the balcony once, on a brilliant deviation from Salah to launch a counter (38th).
But the Liverpool striker missed a match point. Taking advantage of a dreadful back pass from Martin Hongla, he spun alone towards the goal, but André Onana, who came out like a rocket, managed to tackle him before, showing in a gesture all the interest of a goalkeeper, from the school of Ajax. Salah railed with rage.
The Liverpool striker didn’t have a great game. He was however the main fear of the public, who roared on the first tackle of Tolo Nouhou on the Egyptian N.10 (1st), and a “boo!” on the first missed strike of the Liverpool star (9th).
Salah also escaped a warning for a foul on Toko-Ekambi who went against (31st).
But otherwise it was well padlocked by Toni Conceiçao’s plan, and guarded very closely by Tolo Nouhou.
And he didn’t even have to convert his shot on goal.
