Mané Explains Key to Senegal’s Semi-Final Win Over Egypt

Sadio Mané has explained the tactical and mental reasons behind Senegal’s 1–0 victory over Egypt in the AFCON 2025 semi-final.

The Senegal captain scored the winning goal in the 78th minute at the Grand Stade de Tanger to send the defending champions into the final and continue their strong recent record against Egypt.

The win takes Senegal into their fourth Africa Cup of Nations final, where they will face either Morocco or Nigeria, as they aim to retain the title.

Speaking after the match, Mané said the victory was the result of careful preparation and teamwork.

“We knew from the beginning that it would be a difficult match,” Mané said. “Egypt have a great history in this competition. We used what we learned from our previous meetings, and it helped us a lot.”

Mané explained that Senegal focused on stopping Egypt from playing their usual attacking game.

“We managed to prevent them from creating chances,” he said. “We controlled the ball in midfield and marked Omar Marmoush and Mohamed Salah very closely.”

This approach helped Senegal control long periods of the game and limit Egypt’s attacking threat.

“The key was having the right balance between defence, midfield and attack,” Mané added. “This win is not just about me. It belongs to every player who gave everything for 90 minutes.”

Mané’s goal came at a crucial moment in a tight match.

“I took my chance at the right time,” he said. “The ball came well, my position was good, and I finished with confidence.”

For Egypt, the defeat ends a long run of semi-final appearances, marking their first exit at this stage since 1984.

Looking ahead to the final, Mané made it clear that Senegal are not satisfied yet.

“We know how finals are played,” he said. “A final is there to be won. We will fight for every chance and try to bring the trophy back to Senegal.”