Senegal have won the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in their history after beating Egypt on penalties in Sunday’s final.
Sadio Mane, who had missed a penalty early in normal time, scored the decisive spot-kick as Senegal triumphed 4-2 in the shootout after 120 minutes of football failed to produce a goal.
The final at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde, Cameroon, was billed as a battle between Liverpool stars Mane of Senegal and Mohamed Salah of Egypt but it never reached those heights.
Mane had been given the chance to open the scoring inside ten minutes at the when Mohamed Abdelmonem slid in with a rash challenge on full-back Saliou Ciss but Egypt goalkeeper Gabaski, the hero of their semi-final shootout win over Cameroon, kept out the forward’s effort.
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Gabaski was named man of the match as he kept Senegal at bay throughout a scrappy 90 minutes and then produced an excellent save to deny substitute Bamba Dieng in extra-time.
But his efforts would prove in vain as Mane made amends for his earlier miss by thundering home the winning spot-kick. Egypt had once again held Salah back for the fifth penalty, but the shootout did not get that far.
