KING of Africa
After three heartbreaks, Salah the prince of Egypt is ready to finally be crowned the...
MO SALAH’s penalty was struck like a rocket but crashed back off the crossbar.
For a split second, it looked like the Egypt star was about to miss his second spot-kick in the space of a week, having failed for Liverpool against Newcastle on New Year’s Day.
Technically this one still counted as a miss but it rebounded off the woodwork, struck the goalkeeper’s backside and went in.
Salah was too embarrassed to celebrate but maybe it is a good omen, a sign fortune is on Egypt’s side this time.
Alternatively, those who worship Salah in his homeland will hope he got his misses out of the way in the Africa Cup of Nations warm-up against Tanzania rather than in the tournament itself.
This will be Salah’s fourth Afcon. Twice he has suffered defeat in the final. But maybe international glory finally awaits a man who has won all the major club honours with Liverpool.
Egypt begin their campaign against Mozambique tomorrow, with Ghana and Cape Verde alongside them in Group B.
They will be expected to go deep into the tournament, especially given the exceptional form of their captain Salah, who has 18 goals and nine assists for Liverpool this season. But the record seven-time champions of Africa are still viewed by many pundits as a work in progress, and the bookmakers have them only fifth favourites behind reigning champions Senegal, World Cup heroes Morocco, hosts Ivory Coast and Algeria.
As ever, much will rest on Salah’s shoulders if Egypt are to end a 14-year wait for the trophy. His first taste of the Afcon came in Gabon in 2017. Egypt had failed to qualify for the three editions before that, despite winning in 2006, 2008 and 2010.
They made amends by topping a group which saw just six goals in six games, Salah — then with Roma — scoring the winner against Ghana to grab top spot.
Egypt overcame Morocco in the quarter-finals, then Burkina Faso on penalties in the semis, with Salah scoring in normal time and the shootout. In the final with Cameroon, everything was going well for Egypt when Mohamed Elneny opened the scoring.
But Argentinian coach Hector Cuper urged them to sit back and defend their advantage after the break, a tactic which backfired when Nicolas Nkoulou equalised. Egypt tried to respond but Cameroon broke their hearts two minutes from time when Vincent Aboubakar won it.
The stars were meant to align in 2019 when Egypt hosted the Afcon. Salah came into it having just won the Champions League with Liverpool.
Confidence flowed in the group stages as Egypt won all three games and Salah netted against DR Congo and Uganda. But their last-16 opponents South Africa silenced a 75,000-strong crowd in Cairo by scoring a winner five minutes from time. The chance to atone was delayed by the Covid pandemic until 2022 but Egypt arrived in Cameroon ranked as one of the favourites. Salah was then 29, the captain and very much the main man.
Egypt finished second in their group, and Salah held his nerve to score the decisive penalty as Ivory Coast were beaten in a last-16 shootout. He netted again as Morocco were overcome 2-1 after extra time in the quarter-finals.
Penalties were needed to overcome Cameroon in the semifinals, following a goalless draw. The final with Senegal was another cagey affair with no goals in 120 minutes, though Salah’s Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane had an early penalty saved.
Inevitably, it went to a shootout and Egypt kept to their strategy of Salah taking the fifth kick. He would never get the opportunity — while Senegal were flawless with their four kicks, misses by Mohamed Abdelmonem and Mohanad Lasheen left Egypt crestfallen in the final again.
Salah looked distraught as he walked past the trophy. He remains a vital as ever to Egypt, with 55 goals in 96 outings, and has made clear his intent. ‘I’d love to win this competition,’ the 31-year-old said in advance of the big kick-off. Maybe it will be fourth time lucky for Salah.