Now, Diedhiou chases a fine ball over the top for Senegal and does well to gather it. He turns in the penalty area and whips a shot towards the far post, but it’s lacking in power, and Owono drops to his left to save. 17 min: Mane breaks down the left after a one-two and cuts the ball back. A fine bit of defending from Equatorial Guinea in the middle, though, with a shot blocked, ends the danger. Pape Gueye is then booked for a cynical foul when Equatorial Guinea try to break down field. “Evening, ” emails Dean.
Nsue tries to reach it at the far post but he narrowly fails. The atmosphere in the stadium is raucous, but can you imagine what it must be like in Equatorial Guinea as people watch on TV??! They must be going bonkers. Goal! 57 min: Senegal 1-1 Equatorial Guinea (Buyla)They are back on terms! What a lovely goal. Ganet slides a ball into the feet of Buyla, lurking in the penalty area. He takes it incredibly early, killing the ball with an instant touch, then immediately hitting a low shot, with the outside of his boot, that rolls into the far corner, well beyond the reach of Mendy.
If it goes to 2-0, you fear for them. 37 min: Nampalys Mendy belts an excellent, powerful shot from distance which is destined for the top corner. Owono saves. But it was a tester. 36 min: Machin is booked for a ludicrous push in the back of Pape Gueye. He tries to shake hands afterwards, but is ignored. Is panic starting to set in in the Equatorial Guinea defence? 33 min: It’s opening up. And it’s all hands on deck for Equatorial Guinea, with Senegal moving through the gears in attack. Mane makes a damaging run on the left.
Equatorial Guinea gave them a serious test, and Senegal threatened to lose it completely at one point, but they came through. 90 min +3: Oba tries to buy a penalty after a challenge by Koulibaly. No joy. 90 min +1: Buyla cracks a shot from long range. No luck. 90 min: Belima, one of the Equatorial Guinea subs, tries one from distance. It’s well wide. We’ll have three minutes minimum of injury time. 88 min: The Equatorial Guinea players, on the bench, look distraught. It’s been an incredible journey for them, but it’s coming to an end, unless they can find an improbable comeback in the next two or three minutes. 85 min: Oba, Balboa, Eneme, Belima and Bikoro have all come on for Equatorial Guinea now. Sarr has a sight of goal from distance, and hammers a shot which flies narrowly over the bar.
65 min: More changes for Senegal: Cheikhou Kouyate comes on along with Bamba Dieng. Pape Gueye and the goalscorer, Diedhiou, are gone. 63 min: Ismaila Sarr, of Watford, has been introduced into the action for Dia for Senegal. Aliou Cissé, the coach, mixes it up. 59 min: The supposed minnows are growing into sharks. Akapo now cracks a pacy ball into the danger zone.
It’s straight into the wall. 42 min: Ganet is fouled by Idrissa Gueye on the edge of the box. A hint of a chance for Equatorial Guinea... 40 min: Sarr makes progress on the Senegal right and tries to cross low. There is more last-ditch defending from Equatorial Guinea. Diedhiou tries a knock-down at the far post in the next passage of play. Mane is clattered seconds later as he bears down on the penalty area. Equatorial Guinea are being outclassed at the moment.
He is stopped in the nick of time. Senegal come again... Mane shows lovely footwork to find the space to cross with the goal gaping... but Equatorial Guinea just manage to clear! 32 min: Ciss makes more inroads down the Senegal left. He turns a ball into the danger zone, low, and Akapo clears for a corner. That was a simple, but incredibly effective move. Ciss had the ball on the left touchline. He pinged a ball into the feet of Mane.
”15 min: Equatorial Guinea mount another wave of attacking. They are definitely packing their defence, as a general rule, but they’re also happy to try and get men forward on occasion. 13 min: Idrissa Gueye curls a sweetly-struck free-kick goalwards. It flashes wide, but only just. Owono hadn’t moved – either he calculated it was going wide, or was simply hopelessly beaten by the effort. 11 min: Miranda fouls Mane in a central position outside the area.
“It seems quite possible that Egypt could end up facing Senegal and therefore Salah versus Mané in the final. There has plainly been some competition between them at LFC for goal scoring which has, at times, even looked to be somewhat detrimental to the team ethic. It would be fascinating to watch this rivalry into a game where they are actually on different sides.
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