These stars could prove decisive in the showpiece of the AFCON on Sunday night. Various players have stepped up throughout the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to provide victory for their teams, save them from a defeat or make the most significant contributions.
In the final game of the competition going down at the Olembe Stadium, Yaounde, individuals from the Senegalese and Egyptian teams will hope their name resonates through AFCON history whenever the 2021 Final comes up in conversations.
But of all players expected to feature in the Final, what five stand the best chance of defining the game?
Mohamed Salah
The Liverpool forward has been an integral part of Egypt’s success at the competition, with two goals and an assist.
Salah, who is enjoying a successful season with clubside Liverpool, will want to be remembered for having a strong calendar year with his national team. He will almost certainly put in his biggest effort yet.
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Sadio Mane
Mane, Salah’s Liverpool colleague, has arguably been the most crucial player for Senegal at the tournament. Mane’s input for the Teranga Lions has seen him amass a total of three goals and two assists for himself.
The 29-year-old winger should play a key role again if Senegal put up an attacking masterclass as they did in the quarter-finals and semi-finals.
Mohamed ‘Gabaski’ Abou Gabal
Egypt’s second goalkeeper came into the fray in the Pharaohs’ Round of 16 clashes against Cote d’Ivoire following an injury to first-choice Mohamed El Shenawy. His immediate impact in the game extended to the penalty shootouts as he helped his side win the game.
He repeated the same penalty brilliance in the semi-final against hosts Cameroon and should be vital for the Pharaohs in the Final if they go into the lottery of penalties again.
Beyond the penalty shootouts, Gabaski’s quick reflexes should be a handy weapon against a resilient Senegalese attack.
Ismaila Sarr
Despite joining the Senegalese team in the later stages of the competition, Sarr showed how much of a danger he could be.
In their quarter-final win over Equatorial Guinea, the 23-year-old Watford winger scored a goal in the last stages of the game despite being on the pitch for only 21 minutes.
In the final against Egypt, Senegal’s coach Aliou Cisse could opt to start him for the first time in the competition. This means Sarr will have more time to trouble the Egyptians than he did against Equatorial Guinea and Burkina Faso.
Mohamed Abdelmonem
Egyptian center-back Abdelmonem has been a key cog in a defense that has kept four clean sheets in five matches at this AFCON. He also scored against Sudan in their final group stage to see them qualify for the knockout stages.
In the semifinal versus Cameroon, Abdelmonem won three of his five ground duels, five of his six aerial duels, and made three vital clearances. A worthy performance that saw him bag the man of the match award. The Final against Senegal affords him the opportunity to burnish an already growing reputation.
