Egypt, Eq. Guinea win shootouts to make African Cup quarters

DOUALA, Cameroon (AP) — Mohamed Salah buried the decisive penalty as Egypt beat Ivory Coast 5-4 in a shootout to achieve the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations on Wednesday.

Equatorial Guinea adopted go well with to beat Mali 6-5 on penalties, however in a much more chaotic shootout.

Each Equatorial Guinea and Mali missed two of their first 5 spot kicks, and Mali defender Falaye Sacko finally had the sixteenth penalty of the shootout saved by Equatorial Guinea’s 20-year-old goalkeeper Jesús Owono.

There was then a VAR examine to verify Owono hadn’t come off his line too early earlier than the upset was confirmed and Equatorial Guinea’s gamers might race away to a bunch of their followers within the stadium to rejoice.

Each video games ended 0-0 after additional time and the spherical of 16 ended with out a objective from open play.

The quarterfinals of the African Cup at the moment are set: Burkina Faso vs. Tunisia, Senegal vs. Equatorial Guinea, Gambia vs. host Cameroon and Egypt vs. Morocco.

For Egypt, Salah despatched his spot kick into the underside proper nook after which ran off and jumped onto the again of Egypt substitute goalkeeper Mohamed Abou Gabal for his celebrations.

The Egypt keeper pulled off the one save of the shootout when he tipped Eric Bailly’s penalty onto the crossbar and out. Abou Gabal, who wears the title Gabaski on the again of his jersey, had come on as an alternative within the 88th minute when Mohammed el-Shenawy was injured.

Gabaski pulled off one other essential save in additional time with a full-stretch dive to maintain out a shot from Ibrahim Sangaré that was destined for the highest nook.

Egypt arrange a North African derby towards the Moroccans, and Salah’s hopes of a primary main title along with his nation are nonetheless alive.

Egypt's gamers rejoice with Mohamed Abou Gabal, proper, after the penalty shoot out for the African Cup of Nations 2022 spherical of 16 soccer match between Ivory Coast and Egypt on the Japoma Stadium in Douala, Cameroon, Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022.

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Egypt is a report seven-time African champion however hasn’t received the Cup of Nations since 2010, when Salah was an adolescent. He made his debut for his nation the 12 months after. Salah misplaced within the closing with Egypt in 2017 and was a part of the group that was surprisingly eradicated on residence soil within the final 16 in 2019.

Each groups had clear-cut possibilities on the Japoma Stadium in Douala on Wednesday.

Salah’s snap-shot within the first half was one in all them. It was tipped over the bar by Ivory Coast keeper Badra Ali Sangaré.

Ivory Coast misplaced AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessié to an damage within the first half and Egypt gained impetus from that.

However el-Shenawy, Egypt’s beginning goalkeeper, needed to pull off a double save within the eighty fifth minute to maintain his group within the sport. He harm his proper leg within the course of, giving Gabaski his likelihood.

Manchester United’s Bailly was getting back from a head damage sustained within the group stage and wore protecting headgear for the sport. He took the rugby-style headgear off for his penalty within the shootout, nevertheless it didn’t assist as Gabaski caught out a hand and deflected the ball onto the bar.

Egypt’s quarterfinal towards Morocco on Sunday will now be performed at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde after the Confederation of African Soccer moved it away from the match's fundamental Olembe Stadium due to Monday’s lethal crush. Eight followers died and 7 are in a severe situation after an incident blamed on safety failings on the stadium.

CAF stated one of many semifinals and the African Cup closing on Feb. 6 may also be taken away from the Olembe relying on the findings of an investigation.

Mali was anticipated to beat Equatorial Guinea in Limbe however a sport of few possibilities all the time appeared destined for the lottery of penalties.

Equatorial Guinea’s reward is a sport towards Sadio Mané’s Senegal on Sunday, though Mané could not play after he sustained a head damage in Senegal's victory over Cape Verde on Tuesday.

Mané was dazed after a conflict of heads with the Cape Verde goalkeeper and the Liverpool star was taken to the hospital after the sport. He stated on social media he was OK. However he had performed on after the incident and scored Senegal’s opening objective earlier than trying uneasy and mendacity down on the sector, and at last being taken off.

Senegal has been fiercely criticized for permitting Mané to play on however he posted on Fb on Wednesday: “What doesn't kill you makes you stronger!”

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