After missing out on the Africa Cup of Nations title twice in the 2002 and 2019 final matches, Senegal will be hoping to that fortunes will swing on their side this time round when they confront Egypt 33rd edition of the tournament’s final set for Sunday at Olembe Stadium in Yaounde.Senegal who have been in desperate search for the elusive continental glory over the years settled for runners up position in the two editions they managed to advanced to the final and will be hoping that lady luck will knock on their door on Sunday and end the wait.The Teranga Lions who boast of a squad that is laced with superstars have been phenomenal thus far in the competition having not bowed to any opponent thus far unlike Egypt who began sourly after going down 1-0 to Egypt in the opener.THE FINAL IS SET 🤩#TeamSenegal 🆚 #TeamEgypt WHO WILL LIFT THE 🏆? #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 | #AFCON2021 | @1xBet_Eng— #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 🏆 (@CAF_Online) February 3, 2022 Senegal began with a 1-0 win over and played two goalless draws with Guinea and Malawi to top their Group. They went on to eliminate Cape Verde 2-0, Equatorial Guinea 3-1 and Burkina Faso by a similar scoreline to reach the final.Coach Aliou Cisse in his prematch comments said they had their eyes fixed on the crown and called on his troops to maintain sharp focus and play with determination. The former player conceded that they were lined to take a tough opponent who has equally good players in their ranks but was confident of getting the much needed triumph.”We prepared well for our final with the players who are determined and confident to put in a good show. We will approach this final with determination against a great Egyptian team. We know our opponent well; they have their own philosophy of play with experienced players on the continental level. We are on the way to our objective of winning the title this Sunday evening. We must focus on the final, play it well and thus succeed in our match. We will have to take advantage of the moment. We lost two finals in the past, but this time we will approach the match with more determination,” he told CAF Online.Let’s do this #TeamSenegal pic.twitter.com/yoLJmyMTnp— Football (@FootballSenegal) February 6, 2022 While the West Africans will be seeking to roar to a win,the Egyptians will be out to lay hands on the trophy for the record eighth time having won the Cup in 957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008 and 2010.2.40 Senegal 2.90 Egypt 3.80After a loss in their opener to Nigeria, Egypt defeated Guinea Bissau and Sudan to go through the group stage. Since then, The Pharaohs managed to oust three big names needing three extra times and two penalty shootouts. Neither Ivory Coast, Morocco, nor hosts Cameroon managed to stop the Pharaohs in their quest to reach the grand final, five years after their heartbreak in Gabon 2017 final.Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah led by example in every game, and he will be looked to again to have his moment of lifting the title. Missing injured Mohamed Elshenawy, goalkeeper Mohamed Abu Gabal who produced shootout heroics against Ivory Coast and Cameroon will be once again the first line of the Pharaohs title quest.📸🇪🇬🇰🇲#pharaohs #TotalAFCONQ2021 pic.twitter.com/BEKqOcS8Ok— Egypt National Football Team (@Pharaohs) March 29, 2021 Ahead of the tie, Wael Gomaa who serves as the team manager expressed concerns with the freshness of the players heading into the match as they have had to grind out for results in extra time in the previous rounds. The former player who was in praises for the medical staff for ensuring that the players were ready however was certain of emerging victorious given the unit had shown in winning the title.”It’s true that we are tired after several matches played in extra time and the various trips since the start of the tournament, but the players will outdo themselves in the final to win the title. The main thing for us is to win the trophy and offer it to all the Egyptian people who have been supporting us for several months. I would like to thank the medical staff who are doing a titanic job in order to prepare all the players after each match,” he told CAF Online.🇸🇳 Sadio vs. Mo in the #AFCON2021 final 🇪🇬Proud of you both ❤️ pic.twitter.com/E2c8ZFwa9F— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 3, 2022 Match day notebookThis will be the fifth encounter between Egypt and Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations and the first such meeting since 2006, with Egypt winning 2-1 in the semi-final on their way to lifting the trophy that year.● In their four previous meetings at the Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt and Senegal have won two games each, with three of the four matches finishing 1-0 (Egypt’s win in 2000 and Senegal’s in 1986 and 2002).● Egypt will play in their ninth final (excluding final groups) at the Africa Cup of Nations, losing their most recent one in 2017 (2-1 against Cameroon) – including the 2021 final, no team have played in the tournament showpiece on more occasions than the Pharaohs (Ghana level on nine).🇪🇬👑 into the FINAL! pic.twitter.com/9CS0i185iB— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 3, 2022 ● Senegal are playing in their third Africa Cup of Nations final (runners-up in 2002 and 2019), while the Lions of Teranga are the first side to play in consecutive finals in the competition since opponents Egypt in 2010.● Senegal are looking to win their first Africa Cup of Nations title, in their 16th appearance in the competition – no team have played in more AFCON tournaments without ever lifting the trophy.● Egypt have progressed via extra time (and/or penalties) in their last three matches at the Africa Cup of Nations, only one team have played in four consecutive knock-out matches, with all going to extra time in the competition’s history – Tunisia between 2006 and 2015 (lost all four in quarter-finals, three in extra time and one on penalties).● Senegal have won 11 Africa Cup of Nations matches across the last three tournaments (since 2017), more victories than any other team, while they’ve also kept the most clean sheets (12) in this time.Sadio MANÉ – a hero on the field – super hero off the field. #teamsenegal credit to @brfootball pic.twitter.com/1PtAiQIjxE— Football (@FootballSenegal) February 5, 2022 ● Senegal have scored nine goals from 81 attempts at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations – only Cameroon (12.1%, 11/91) have a better shot conversion rate than the Lions of Teranga at this year’s tournament. Meanwhile, Egypt’s rate of just 5.3% (4/76) is the lowest among teams to progress to the knock-out rounds.● Since Mohamed Salah’s debut at the Africa Cup of Nations in January 2017 he’s been directly involved in 68 shots at goal for Egypt (41 shots, 27 chances created), only Tunisia’s Wahbi Khazri (70 – 40 shots, 30 chances created) has been involved in more in this time.● Sadio Mané has been directly involved in nine (six goals, three assists) of Senegal’s last 14 goals at the Africa Cup of Nations (64%), having either scored (2) or assisted (2) in each of his last three matches. The forward could register goal involvements in four consecutive games in the competition for the first timeAdditional reporting by CAF Online
