Senegal is ready for the World Cup after a new penalty drama against Egypt – and once again it was the big star Sadio Mané who decided.
Ghana, Morocco, Tunisia and Cameroon will also play in the World Cup.
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In early February, Sadio Mané shot the gold in the African Championships to Senegal after a penalty shootout against Egypt.
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When the teams met again on Tuesday for a decisive match, this time in the World Cup playoffs, much was the same.
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Egypt had 1-0 from the teams’ first playoff meeting in Cairo on Friday, thanks to an own goal by Senegal in the fourth minute of the match.
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In the return meeting, the roles were reversed. The home team Senegal got 1-0 in the fourth minute when Egypt’s Hamdi Fathi poked the ball into his own goal as he tried to clear away a shot from Villarreal striker Bouyale Dia.
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The result, 1-1, stood at full time.
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Salah syndabock
After a goalless extra time, the match went to penalties. Once there, Egypt’s superstar Mohamed Salah started by pulling the ball high over the crossbar. This was followed by three more straight penalty misses.
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The final score was written 3-1 to Senegal after Salah’s radar partner in Liverpool, Senegal’s Sadio Mané, coolly placed the decisive penalty in the middle of the goal and thus pushed his country on to the World Cup.
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In Tuesday’s second early playoff meeting, Ghana pulled the longest straw against Nigeria. The West African country moved on to more away goals after 1-1 away, after the first meeting ended 0-0.
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Ghana’s goal came in the tenth minute through star Thomas Partey, everyday in English Arsenal.
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Nigeria equalized on a penalty through Watford player William Troost-Ekong in the 21st minute, which was the end result.
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Morocco crusher at home
Defensively strong Tunisia had 1-0 from the away meeting with Mali with them home to Tunis. There, 0-0 was enough to secure the World Cup ticket.
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Morocco, who played 1-1 away against Congo-Kinshasa last time, accounted for a real overrun at home. Each goal by Achraf Hakimi and Tarik Tissoudali as well as a double by Azzedine Ounahi ensured that they won with a clear 4-1 and get to play the World Cup.
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After 1-0 to Algeria in the first match in Douala, Cameroon took the match to extra time through Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s goal in the return match. Once in extra time, Ahmed Touba looked to send Algeria to the World Cup when he made it 1-1 with two minutes left of extra time. But in stoppage time, Karl Toko Ekambi made it 2-1 for Cameroon, which gave Cameroon the World Cup spot.
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