Egypt Assistant Coach, Diaa Elsayed, has commended the role played by Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah in ensuring the team beat Cameroon and reach the final of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
Elsayed, who spoke during a post-match press conference, described Salah as an essential player for his team.
The PUNCH had reported that Egypt scaled through to the final of the 2021 AFCON after defeating hosts Cameroon 3-1 in a penalty shootout following a goalless draw after extra time in Yaounde.
During the match, Egypt’s coach was shown a red card for losing his temper on the touchline.
He said, “Each time, the Egyptian team are favorites to win the tournament. Tonight we played the usual game and we managed to reach the final.
“I would like to thank our coach Carlos Queiroz who was expelled during the game as well as all the players who made the difference with their ardor and grinta throughout the tournament.
“We are happy, it’s true, but we have not yet reached the final objective: the coronation. I can also add that our background is also due to the presence of one of the great players in our training, namely Mohamed Salah. A very essential player in our team and who remains the centerpiece for us.”
Also, Man-of-the-Match, Mohamed Abdelmoneim, said Salah made the difference in a difficult match against a strong Cameroon side.
Abdelmoneim said, “It was a good match for us.
“A difficult match against a good Cameroonian team but our team knew how to make the difference with a Mohamed Salah who supported us throughout the match like a great leader.
“Thank God, we succeeded in our penalty shootout to secure a place in the final.”
Mohamed Salah’s Egypt are through to the final of AFCON after beating hosts Cameroon 3-1 on penalties at the end of a goalless 120 minutes in Yaounde on Thursday.
Goalkeeper Mohamed Abou Gabal was the Egyptian hero, saving from both Harold Moukoudi and James Lea-Siliki in the shoot-out at the Olembe Stadium before Clinton Njie blazed wide with Cameroon’s last chance to keep their dream alive.
Salah, usually the fifth penalty-taker for his country, was not needed as Egypt advanced to a final showdown against Sadio Mane’s Senegal back at the Olembe Stadium on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Egyptians went down at every opportunity, regularly looking to eat up time and frustrate their opponents.
Usually, they eventually stood up again unscathed, and they ended the game with 11 players but coach Queiroz –- who was already missing one of his assistants to a ban — was shown a red card at the end of normal time for losing his temper on the touchline.
This was Egypt’s third extra time in as many knockout ties after they needed penalties to beat the Ivory Coast in the last 16 and an extra half-hour to overcome Morocco in the quarter-finals.
Extra time passed with penalties always seeming inevitable, and Aboubakar was the only successful taker for Cameroon as they go out.
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