Senegal, Morocco, Cameroon book spots at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar
In the African play-off games, Liverpool star Sadio Mane converted a shoot-out penalty on Tuesday to take African champions Senegal to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar at the expense of Egypt.
Senegal won the second leg of the African play-off 1-0 in Diamniadio thanks to a fourth-minute goal from Boulaye Dia and the teams finished level at 1-1 on aggregate after extra time.
As was the case in the Africa Cup of Nations final last month, Mane was entrusted with taking the crucial fifth Senegal kick and once again he made no mistake to give his side a 3-1 shoot-out victory.
Among the three Egyptians who failed to score in the shoot-out was Sane’s Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah, who uncharacteristically blazed his kick over the crossbar.
As Senegal celebrated a second straight qualification for the World Cup, Egypt was left to lament another dramatic loss to Senegal this year.
There were no goals in the Cup of Nations final that went to extra time in Yaounde last month, leading to a shoot-out which Senegal won 4-2 with Mane converting the fifth penalty for his side.
The Lions of Teranga previously played in the 2002 and 2018 World Cup tournaments.
Read: Ghana qualify ahead of Nigeria for FIFA World Cup in Qatar
Karl Toko Ekambi scored in the fourth minute of added time at the end of extra time to gave Cameroon a dramatic 2-1 win over Algeria in Blida and a place at the 2022 World Cup.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting put eight-time qualifiers Cameroon ahead in the 22nd minute and they retained the lead until the 118th minute when Ahmed Touba equalised in the second leg of a play-off.
But with Algeria leading 2-1 on aggregate having won the first leg 1-0 last Friday, and seemingly set for Qatar, Toko Ekambi struck.
Tunisia qualified for the 2022 World Cup without even having to score against Mali in the playoffs game.
An own goal from defender Moussa Sissako in the first leg in Bamako (1-0) was all what they needed to reach their sixth World Cup after settling for a scoreless draw at home on Tuesday.
Azzedine Ounahi scored twice as Morocco trounced the Democratic Republic of Congo 4-1 in Casablanca on Tuesday to reach the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar.
Tarik Tissoudali and Paris Saint-Germain full-back Achraf Hakimi also netted for the Atlas Lions, who qualified 5-2 on aggregate after the first leg finished 1-1 in Kinshasa four days ago.
The outclassed Congolese Leopards trailed by four goals before Ben Malango snatched a consolation goal 13 minutes from time.
The 2022 World Cup will be held from Nov. 21 to Dec. 18 with 32 teams in eight groups.
