Sadio Mane's legendary curse struck again as his former Liverpool teammate, Mohamed Salah, faced a fiery reunion with Senegal. In the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final, Mane's 78th-minute goal secured a 1-0 victory for Senegal over Egypt, maintaining their dominance over the Pharaohs. This win followed their triumph in the 2022 AFCON final and a World Cup playoff, both decided by penalty shoot-outs. Salah, Egypt's captain, was well-contained by Senegal's defense, failing to break free and secure a winners' medal for the second time in his career. This marked the third time Mane has outperformed Salah on the international stage. The match saw Senegal's veteran center-back Kalidou Koulibaly receive a yellow card for fouling Egypt striker Omar Marmoush, ruling him out of the final. As the first half concluded, heated verbal exchanges and pushing between the rival benches led to appeals for calm from the coaches. The second half saw Egypt make changes, but Senegal's pressure paid off when Mane scored with 12 minutes remaining, securing their place in the final against either Morocco or Nigeria. The match highlighted the ongoing rivalry between Mane and Salah, with the former's curse seemingly extending beyond the pitch.
