By Aiwu Esele
Senegalese players celebrate their deserved win
With first-half lead through Famara Diedhiou in the 28th minute and Cheikhou Kouyate goal which made it 2-1 in the 68th minutes and 79th minute goal from Ismaila Sarr, Senegal sealed the hopes of hard fighting Equatorial Guinea players who drew one back in the seventh minutes of the second half through Jannick Buyla to put them back in the game. But a star studded Senegalese team led by Liverpool winger Sadio Mane, Crystal Palace defender Kouyate and Watford’s Sarr, it was a tough time for the Equatorial Guines underdogs.
The win means Senegal has set up semi-final against Burkina Faso.
In an earlier match of the day between two North African rivals Egypt and Morocco, the Pharaohs came from a one goal deficit through penalty by the Atlas Lions’ Sofiane Boufal scored in the first seven minute of the game to rout their rival 2-1 in a highly technical game.
It took the skill and commanding presence of Liverpool striker Mohammed Salah to put the Pharaohs in reckoning after converting a loose ball in the 18 yard box into the net. It came from a corner kick which the goalie parried and Salah was there on time to put the ball in the net. The match entered extra-time during which the Pharaohs upped their game and with a Salah assist, Mahmoud Trezeguet netted the second goal, ten minutes in extra-time. It soon became a ding-dong affair and though Morocco had some brilliant chances, the goal keeper Mohamed Abou Gabal stood between then and the net.
Egypt would meet host nation, Cameroon in the semi-final in Olembe stadium in Yaounde on Thursday.
