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Diamars 8 Februari 2022

Mané beats Salah as Senegal wins its first African Cup

Salah had two shots on goal in the
first half, the second a powerful drive But Mohanad Lasheen had Egypt’s
that was heading for the top corner fourth penalty saved by Mendy, leav-
before Mendy got hands to it. But ing Mané to win it and Salah to drop
Salah drifted out of the game from his head and start wiping away tears
the second half of normal time as fa- with his shirt. Salah has now lost
tigue clearly caught up with Egypt, two African Cup finals after Egypt
which was also without coach Carlos couldn’t hold onto a 1-0 lead and lost
Queiroz on the touchline. 2-1 to Cameroon in 2017.

Queiroz was given a red card in the Mané had said before the tournament
semifinal and banned from the touch- that he would give up everything he’s
line, and he spent the final watching won at club level to lift an African
from the stadium seats, sometimes Cup with Senegal. He was so eager
speaking into a phone. to get his hands on the trophy that he
had to be shooed away from it when
All three of Egypt’s knockout games players were being given their med-
before the final also went to extra als.
time, and two of them to penalties,
and Egypt seemed to be playing for Mané had to wait for Senegal captain
(AP) — Sadio Mané finally deliv- a group, as a country.” another shootout in a bid to win a Kalidou Koulibaly to walk up to the
ered a first African Cup for Sen- record-extending eighth African title. VIP area to be formally presented
egal, and Liverpool teammate The final at the Olembe Stadium with the trophy in the presence of
Mohamed Salah could do noth- in Yaounde was billed as a battle be- Egypt won those shootouts in the last Cameroon President Paul Biya, Af-
ing about it but stand and watch. tween Liverpool forwards Mané and 16 and the semifinals without miss- rican soccer confederation president
Salah, who were both searching for ing, but failed with two penalties in Patrice Motsepe and FIFA president
Mané drilled the decisive penalty in a their first major title with their coun- Sunday’s shootout. Gianni Infantino.
shootout into the bottom left corner try.
to beat Salah and Egypt in Sunday’s Defender Abdelmonem completed Koulibaly walked slowly back to the
final in Cameroon and make up for But it never reached the heights of a his miserable final with Egypt’s first field and his teammates with the tro-
missing a penalty early in the game. classic despite the presence of the two miss, with his penalty cannoning off phy, savoring every second as Senegal
superstars. the post. Senegal’s Bouna Sarr had finally rid itself of the label of being
Senegal won the shootout 4-2 after it the next penalty saved by Abou Ga- the best team to never win an African
ended 0-0 after extra time. Salah, who That was even after the final started bal. Cup.
was supposed to be his team’s final with drama when Senegal won a pen-
penalty taker, didn’t get a say in the alty inside the opening five minutes
shootout after two of his teammates for Mohamed Abdelmonem’s foul on
missed. Saliou Ciss.

Senegal had lost two finals previously, When it became clear that Mané was
including against Algeria at the last going to take it, Salah went over to
African Cup of Nations in Egypt in goalkeeper Mohamed Abou Gabal
2019, when Mané was left inconsol- to give him some advice while cov-
able. ering his mouth with his hand. That
appeared to irritate Mané, who inter-
This time Mané provided the win- rupted their conversation and pointed
ning moment. He raced off to joy- with his hand toward the right corner
ously celebrate with teammates but of the goal.
also returned to spend some time
consoling Salah, who was in tears. In the end, Mané blasted the seventh-
minute penalty straight down the
“We are proud,” said Senegal goal- middle and Abou Gabal blocked it.
keeper Edouard Mendy, who was
also crucial to the cause by saving a Senegal continued in that vein to miss
penalty in the shootout. “We never a series of other chances, with Abou
won before. We worked really hard to Gabal starring as Egypt’s last line.
win this trophy and today we won as

Nash says Nets not trading Harden before trade deadline

(AP) — James Harden from the outside. “For us, we just don’t want to
is staying put with the take any chances,” Nash said.
Brooklyn Nets. “James wants to be here, “We know last year we lost
we’re building with James him for an extended period
Coach Steve Nash gave a di- and we think we have the best and we want to be conser-
rect answer when asked be- chance to win with James.” vative and make sure he re-
fore the team’s game at Den- sumes full strength so there
ver on Sunday if the team Harden has missed two games isn’t an extended absence.”
was definitely not trading the with a left hamstring injury
former MVP before Thurs- and been the subject of trade Harden has missed 10 games
day’s deadline. rumors, including a possible in his first full season with
deal to send him to Philadel- Brooklyn.
“Yes, that’s correct,” Nash phia for Ben Simmons. Nash
said. “I’ve talked to James, he said Harden’s hamstring is The Nets entered Sunday’s
wants to be here. He wants tightness, not a strain, and he game having lost seven in a
to be here long term as well, has lost strength in the liga- row, including a blowout loss
so I don’t think anything’s ment. at Utah on Friday night.
changed other than noise