February 1, 2022
Senegal overcame Equatorial Guinea to set up an Africa Cup of Nations semi-final against Burkina Faso.
Ex-Bristol City forward Famara Diedhiou put Senegal ahead with a first-time strike following Sadio Mane’s pass.
Equatorial Guinea was awarded a penalty before the decision was overturned, but then equalized soon after through Jannick Buyla’s low shot. But substitute Cheikhou Kouyate volleyed Senegal head with Watford Ishmaila Sarr side-footing a late third.
Senegal who has never won the tournament, face Burkina Faso on Wednesday, before Egypt plays Cameroon in the second Semi-final on Thursday, with the final taking place on Sunday, 6th February 2022.
Mane helps Senegal secure victory.
Senegal started well as Idrissa Gueye’s free-kick kick wide and Diedhiou had a shot saved by Jesus Owono before the 28th-minute opener.
Liverpool forward Mane, taken to hospital with concussion after suffering a clash of heads in the last match against Cape Verde, played an excellent pass and Diedhiou finished well.
But Equatorial Guinea, Semi-finalists in 2015 fought back early in the second half.
They thought they had a penalty when referee Victor Gomes pointed to the spot after the ball hit Koulibaly’sibaly hand at close range. But following a VAR intervention, Gomes watched the incident on the pitch side monitor and judged Koulibaly could not have moved away in time as it was so close.
Equatorial Guinea bounced back from that disappointment equalized in the 57th minute Garnetablo Garnet links Buy with Buy, who fired an angled strike past Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
But Senegal was gifted with a 68th-minute second when Crystal Palace midfielder Kouyate, brought on just three minutes earlier, volleyed into the net after two Equatorial Guinea defenders collided into each other while trying to head clear.
Another substitute Sarr, playing his first game since November after injury, sealed Senegal’s victory after good work from team-mate Saliou Cisse.