Senegal Vs Egypt
Senegal Vs Egypt Sunday 6 February, 2022 – 19:00 (GMT)
Africa Cup of Nations
Pick: Senegal WIN
Odds: 21/20
Bookmaker: WilliamHill
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 4 February 2022)
Preview: Sunday’s final at Olembe Stadium has a distinctively Liverpool feel to it, as Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah – team-mates at club level and close friends – spearhead the hopes of their nations, Senegal and Egypt respectively, in the 33rd final of the Africa Cup of Nations.
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Table of Contents
Senegal – Momentum with Mane and Lions of Teranga?
Successive Africa Cup of Nations finals – and third overall – is reward for ousting a spirited Burkina Faso 3-1 in the first of the semi-finals. Sadio Mane has enjoyed an outstanding tournament and rounded off a strong performance from Aliou Cisse’s men by scoring the Lions of Teranga’s third, having already supplied an assist. The Liverpool man will now try to inspire his nation to go one better than in 2002 and 2019.
Senegal have easily been the most impressive team during the knockout phase. Having eased through their group without conceding, albeit their only win and goal came against Zimbabwe in the opener, they would then dispatch Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea and Burkina Faso by an aggregate of 8-2. “It shows you the momentum we have,” said Mane post-match. Rightly, they start as favourites on Sunday.
Key Stat: Senegal are up to nine goals for the tournament, scoring eight of these across three knockout matches. They are a team that grows into their contests, highlighted by their tally of eight second-half goals in Cameroon.
Egypt – Will Pharaohs be running on empty?
In some ways, the sight of the continent’s most successful footballing nation in Sunday’s final isn’t a surprise. They do, after all, boast arguably the best player on the planet in this moment in time. In truth, though, neither The Pharaohs or talisman Mohamed Salah have excelled to this point – but a record tenth final appearance is proof, if ever it were needed, that underestimating the seven-time winners is dangerous.
Even so, I think we are all in agreement that Egypt have needed to ride their luck to reach the main event. They have only beaten Guinea-Bissau and Sudan inside 90 minutes, requiring extra-time in all three knockout rounds versus Ivory Coast, Morocco and Cameroon. Their route to the final was undoubtedly more arduous, however, accumulated fatigue is a factor having played 90 minutes more than Senegal.
Key Stat: Nigeria and Morocco are the only teams to score against Egypt at the tournament so far. The last time Carlos Queiroz’s side conceded more than once in any fixture was to Angola in November 2021, some 14 games ago.
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Senegal Vs Egypt Betting Advice
Both the outright favourite to lift the trophy (Senegal) and the pre-tournament favourite to claim the Golden Boot (Salah) are into the final. As the highest ranked nation in Cameroon, there was always an expectancy that Senegal would go far. However, Egypt progressing as deep as they have has caught many by surprise. Not least some of the teams they have beaten along the way, many of whom were favourites to win.
Senegal Vs Egypt – Key Facts:
- This final pits seven-time Africa Cup of Nations winners Egypt against Senegal, the latter bidding for their first tournament victory in what is set to be their third final.
- Egypt were forced into extra-time in all three knockout rounds, meaning they have spent at least 90 minutes more out on the pitch than Senegal, who cruised into the final.
- We can therefore expect Senegal to come on stronger in the second-half, as they’ve done all tournament. Eight of their nine tournament goals were scored after half-time.
Can Egypt’s underdog run be sustained through Sunday’s final? I have my doubts. They are here because of some stout defending more than anything else, and this Senegal side have shown they can race through the gears if they want to, scoring a combined eight in three knockout rounds. There is more star quality in the Senegalese ranks as well, whereas Egypt are too dependent on Salah doing something out of nothing.
Best Betting Odds – Senegal Vs Egypt
Senegal – 21/20 (WilliamHill)
Draw – 19/10 (Bet365)
Egypt – 16/5 (BetVictor)
