Sadio Mané’s clutch late goal secured Senegal’s spot in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, sealing a tense and hard-fought semi-final victory over Egypt at the Stade de Tanger in Tangier on Wednesday.

The first half remained tense and tightly contested, with Egypt sitting deep in a compact defensive block while Senegal probed patiently for breakthroughs. Nicolas Jackson came closest for the Lions of Teranga in the 19th minute, firing a shot just over the bar. A major setback followed in the 23rd minute when captain Kalidou Koulibaly, already on a yellow card for an earlier foul, was forced off injured ruling him out of the final due to suspension and compounding the blow for Senegal. After the interval, Senegal seized control of possession while Egypt stayed disciplined and resilient in their low block.”From the start, we played as a unit and managed the game well,” Mané reflected post-match.The breakthrough arrived in the 78th minute when Mané collected a loose ball at the edge of the area and unleashed a composed, powerful strike past Mohamed El Shenawy to break the deadlock. Egypt pushed desperately in the closing stages, but Senegal’s defense stood firm to secure the narrow victory. In stoppage time, Edouard Mendy produced a crucial save to deny Egypt’s first shot on target, preserving Senegal’s slender lead and sealing the hard-earned victory.Man-of-the-match Sadio Mané reflected on the performance afterward: “We stayed focused throughout and fully deserved the win. It was a very tight game, but our composure made the difference.”The result propels Senegal into their third Africa Cup of Nations final since 2019.”The final will be a tough challenge, but we’ll prepare thoroughly and give everything we’ve got,” Mané added.