Abou Gabal spot-kick masterclass secures Afcon final for Egypt

Abou Gabal spot-kick masterclass secures Afcon final for Egypt

Egypt will face Senegal in the Final on Sunday, with Mohamed Salah coming up against Sadio Mane after Cameroon crumbled in a penalty shoot-out after failing to convert three of their four spot-kicks as Egypt reached the AFCON final.

The Pharaohs keeper Mohamed Abou Gabal was the hero as Egypt overcame the hosts’ nation Cameroon to reach this year’s Africa Cup of Nations final with a 3-1 success on penalties.

Gabal’s two stellar penalty shootout saves from Egypt proved to be pivotal.

After 120 minutes of scoreless action, goalkeeper Abou Gabal saved spot-kicks from Harold Moukoudi and James Lea Siliki before Clinton N’Jie completely missed the target. 

Egypt will take on Senegal in the showpiece on Sunday, though Carlos Queiroz will not be in the dugout after being sent off for two displays of dissent towards the end of normal time. 

In a low-tempo game littered with mistakes, the best chance of the first half came when Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui saw his header hit the post in the 18th minute. 

Mohamed Salah was presented with a glorious chance to open the scoring in the second half by a short back pass from Martin Hongla but was unable to round Andre Onana after the goalkeeper hared out of his box to intervene. 

Samuel Oum Gouet went close to scoring a goal of the tournament contender when his rasping 35-yard drive clipped the outside of the post, and Queiroz was sent off before the start of extra time. 

CAF – African Football News – Follow us on Twitter @football_sierra On Facebook & Instagram: Football Sierra Leone.

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CAF: Afcon 2021 third, fourth-place tie rescheduled

CAF: Afcon 2021 third, fourth-place tie rescheduled

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has confirmed that the third and fourth place final of the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon has been rescheduled – to the 5th of February. 

The federation announced the changes following consultation between its organising committee and the Cameroonian government. The change only affected the date and not the venue.

“The Caf Africa Cup of Nations Organising Committee, after discussions with the government of Cameroon and the Local Organising Committee [LOC], decided to move the Africa Cup of Nations Cameroon 2021 third and fourth place originally scheduled for Sunday 06 February 2022 to Saturday, 05 February 2022,” Caf announced.

“The match, to be played at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, will kick off at 20h00.”

Meanwhile, Burkina Faso now awaits a loser between Egypt and Cameroon to contest third place in the ongoing AFCON games.

Senegal had on Wednesday night reached this year’s AFCON final after beating Burkina Faso to 3-1.

CAF – African Football News – Follow us on Twitter @football_sierra On Facebook & Instagram: Football Sierra Leone.

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Senegal through to Afcon final after win over Burkina Faso

Senegal through to Afcon final after win over Burkina Faso

Sadio Mane was brilliant as he scored the winner to help Senegal make this year’s final of the African Cup of Nations in Cameroon after their 3-1 over Burkina-Faso on Wednesday at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde.

Defender Abdou Diallo scored the first goal for the party for the 2019 losing finalists when he calmly slotted in from close range on 71 minutes.

Aliou Cisse’s side had two penalties awarded in the first half, only for the Ethiopian referee to change his mind both times following a VAR review. However, they went ahead just after the midway point in the second period when Paris Saint-Germain defender Diallo popped up in the box to produce a striker’s finish.

The first semi-finals was a great showdown as the West African derby lived up to expectations.

The second arrived on 76 minutes as Mane provided a superb assist for Gueye, also of PSG, to score, and Mane completed the win late on after Blati Toure had pulled a goal back. 

Africa’s top-ranked national team, Senegal, will find out their opponents in Sunday’s final on Thursday when hosts Cameroon take on Egypt in the second semi.

CAF – African Football News – Follow us on Twitter @football_sierra On Facebook & Instagram: Football Sierra Leone.

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Amadou Bakayoko nets for Bolton in win over Cambridge United

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Sierra Leone’s Amadou Bakayoko scored his third of the season to ensure Bolton Wanderers move up to 11th in the League One table – 12 points behind sixth-placed Oxford, who have played a game extra.

Bakayoko, 26, who joined League One side Bolton Wanderers on a two-year deal, took his goal well before top scorer Dapo Afolayan’s netted his 12th goal of the season to help his side to a 2-0 win at the  University of Bolton Stadium on Tuesday. 

It was a four straight win for the Wanderers after Ian Evatt side thrashed Sunderland 6-0 last Saturday that cost Lee Johnson his job. 

They face Morecambe in their next league outing at the Mazuma Stadium away from home on Saturday.

Connect with us @football_sierra, on Facebook/ Instagram Football Sierra Leone, writer John Bangura.

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Sierra Leone ‘overachieved’ at AFCON – John Keister

Sierra Leone ‘overachieved’ at AFCON – John Keister

Head coach John Keister believes his West African side Sierra Leone (Leone Stars), overachieved in Cameroon.

After the Leone Stars held Algeria and Ivory Coast in their opening two games in the African Cup of Nations at the Japoma Stadium but failed to get the result needed to progress to the last sixteen, the technician admitted his side overachieved in a short time in Cameroon.

Keister affirmed that despite the disappointment against Equatorial Guinea, his side ‘overachieved’.

“People didn’t appreciate” his hard work in leading his side to the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

In Cameroon, the Leone Stars were a missed penalty away from reaching the knock-out stages for the first time in their history.

“I think as a country, with the group that I have, we overachieved in a short space of time,” Keister told BBC Africa. “I worked so hard, but I found myself in an environment where I don’t think people appreciate that.”

He guided Sierra Leone to their first Nations Cup appearance in 26 years, qualifying from a group involving Nigeria, Benin and Lesotho.

The Manchester-born is hoping to keep his job while trying to help the Leone Stars to Ivory Coast in 2023.

‘We want to qualify again.’

“We have to love ok at home and develop the league system, in terms of the clubs, how we develop these players in different positions, roles and responsibilities,” said Keister.

“That would help the national team because when you have a pool of players, then it becomes competitive.”

Looking ahead to the Nations Cup next year, which is being held in Ivory Coast, Keister added: “Our focus has to be grassroots, our focus has to be developed. “If we don’t get it right down there, we are not getting it into the national team. We want to qualify again. I think it’s important that we develop and we prepare right.”

African Football News – Follow us on Twitter @football_sierra – On Facebook & Instagram: Football Sierra Leone. 

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AFCON: Egypt edge Morocco to set date with host Cameroon

AFCON: Egypt edge Morocco to set date with host Cameroon

Egypt has progressed to the African Cup of Nations semifinals after edging Morocco 2-1 to set a date with host Cameroon in search of a record 8th AFCON title.

Mohamed Salah scored and made an assist as Egypt defeated their North African counterparts Morocco 2-1 in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final at the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaoundé on Sunday. 

Sofiane Boufal scored the opener for Morrocco from the spot inside the opening seven minutes before Liverpool’s star man Mohamed Salah drew parity in the 53rd minute.

The Pharaoh of Egypt took the lead through Aston Villa’s attacker Mahmoud Ahmed Ibrahim Hassan during extra time. 

Morocco’s failure to take few of their chances suffered in the 10th minute of extra time as Salah darting past Aguerd down the right flank and laying on a perfect cross for Trezeguet to dispatch a simple finish with Bounou stricken.

Egypt will now face hosts in Cameroon in the last four on Thursday.

Meanwhile, hosts Cameroon overcome debutant the Gambia 2-0 in a quarter-final match played at the Japoma Stadium in Douala, Cameroon, on Saturday.

CAF – African Football News – Follow us on Twitter @football_sierra On Facebook & Instagram: Football Sierra Leone.

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