Salah gets better of Mane as Egypt edge Senegal, and Ghana and Nigeria draw in WC playoffs

26 March 2022 - 09:16 By Reuters
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Mohamed Salah of Egypt is tackled by Idrissa Gueye and Saliou Ciss of Senegal during their FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualification match at Cairo International Stadium on Friday.
Mohamed Salah of Egypt is tackled by Idrissa Gueye and Saliou Ciss of Senegal during their FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualification match at Cairo International Stadium on Friday.
Image: Mohamed Hossam/Getty Images

Mohamed Salah got the better of his club mate Sadio Mane as Egypt edged Senegal 1-0 in the first leg of their World Cup playoff on Friday to take a slender lead to Dakar for Tuesday’s return.

The rematch between the two Liverpool greats, six weeks after Senegal beat Egypt on penalties to win their first Africa Cup of Nations title, saw Salah set up the only goal.

He beat the offside trap to get on the end of a ball over the top of the defence from Amr El Sulaya, hitting the bar before the rebound bounced off Senegal defender Saliou Ciss's knee and into the net for a dream start after four minutes.

But that was all Egypt managed despite a capacity 75,000 crowd at the Cairo International Stadium where Senegal proved more enterprising and will still feel confident about winning the tie on aggregate and advancing to the World Cup in Qatar.

Mane was the heart of much of his team’s attacks and had an excellent chance eight minutes before halftime as a mazy run at the defence saw him open up space to shoot, only to slip at the vital moment and see his shot balloon well wide.

He also had a chance at the back post early in the second half but failed to make contact with Egypt's defence stretched.

Senegal kept pressing until the final whistle in search of an equaliser, and a potentially vital away goal, but were kept at bay by some desperate defending.

The away goals rule is still in use in African football despite being removed from competition in Europe this season.

In the other high profile match in Ghana, regional rivals Ghana and Nigeria played out a 0-0 draw in Kumasi on Friday, leaving the tie wide open when they meet again in Abuja on Tuesday to decide a place at the World Cup.

The ‘Jollof derby’, so-called after the rice dish popular in both countries, failed to produce much spice and will have left fans unsatisfied after a myriad of mistakes and poor decision-making marked the game.

Home side Ghana had more of the possession and chances but proved sloppy in their finishing.

Only twice did they test goalkeeper Francis Uzoho, who made a stop from a stinging shot by Issahaku Fatawu in the 33rd minute and then again in the 71st minute from Mohammed Kudus.

Nigeria’s best opening fell to Moses Simon 10 minutes into the second half but he squandered the chance to score a vital away goal.

Nigeria were awarded a penalty with 15 minutes left when Idrissu Baba Mohamed handled the ball after being tripped in his own penalty area, but after a VAR check the referee changed his decision and handed Ghana a free kick.

Ghana were playing their first game under new coach Otto Addo, who had former Brighton & Hove Albion manager Chris Hughton as a consultant.

He handed debuts to AS Roma teenager Felix Ohene-Gyan and 33-year-old former Belgium defender Denis Odoi, who switched allegiance ahead of the two-legged playoff.

Leicester City’s Ademola Lookman, who had previously played for England at under-21 level, made his Nigeria debut as a substitute for the last 15 minutes. 

Other First Leg Results: DR Congo 1-1 Morocco, Mali 0-1 Tunisia, Cameroon 0-1 Algeria


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