Unstoppable Senegal clinch a fourth consecutive Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations
Teranga Lions of Senegal won today, their fourth consecutive title after beating Egypt’s Pharaohs 2-2 (6-5 after penalties knockout) in Vilankulo Arena.
The final of the Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations Mozambique 2022 pitted two teams that have been played the first roles for many years in Africa.
Al Seyni Ndiaye, the tournament’s best goalkeeper, saved with class the ball hit by Mohamed Aly Hassan, and Ninou Diatta sentenced the result with the goal that gave Senegal their fourth title, making it impossible for Egypt to win their first title.
The two nations have already secured access to the World Cup participation in 2023.
For individual awards, Seydina Diagne (Senegal) won Top scorer and Best Player trophies. The Senegalese having score 10 goals in the tournament. Egypt won the silver medal, while Morocco clinched the bronze. Hosts Mozambique couldn’t achieve better than a fourth place and Uganda in fifth.
A solitary goal from Seydina Diagne saw Senegal lead until the end of the first two periods. Senegal’s Teranga Lions, huddled in the defensive midfield area not allowing Egypt’s Pharaohs to successfully reach their goal.
Just when it seemed that the game had already been decided, the Egyptians, reaching their first final in the history of this competition, managed to score the equaliser through Hassan Hussein in the first moments of the third period. A goal that spurred Egypt’s ambitions, re-launching the game to frenetic and emotional moments in the rectangle of the game.
At half time, Egypt managed to turn the game around and take the lead, something that earned them their second goal, after a careless mistake by Ninou Diatta, who ended up scoring in his own goal, trying to deflect a shot hit by Egyptian goalkeeper Mohamed Ahmed (2-1).
In reply, the inevitable and Senegalese team’s top scorer, Raoul Mendy, equalised with a spectacular acrobatic strike that left the opposing goalkeeper helpless. The score was 2-2. Not even three minutes of extra time were enough to find the winner of the competition.
The result was only known in the penalty shootout.
In the last three editions, 2016, 2018 and 2021, only Senegal has won, and last year the victim was Mozambique, in the final, which they won 4-1 in Saly.
