AFCON Final 2021 comes to a close in Cameroon on Sunday. The Teranga Lions of Senegal were not the only winners as awards went round.
Others were singled out for special recognition.
Bronze medalist and Cameroonian striker Vincent Aboubakar was the tournament’s top scorer and winner of the Golden Boot with eight goals.
The best goalkeeper title went to Senegal’s Edouard Mendy, Chelsea goalkeeper.
Sadio Mané, Senegalese magician, has been named TotalEnergies Man of the Competition for his spectacular performance with the Lions of Teranga.
The silver medal was not enough for the Egyptian Pharaohs.
Mohamed Abou Gabal ‘Gabaski,’ their goalkeeper, was named AFCON Final Man of the Match.
In four games, he was the goalkeeper, and he had three clean sheets. He made 15 saves, five of them were penalty saves.
Egypt would not have been able to extend the final match beyond 90 minutes if it hadn’t been for him.
The Teranga Lions held the upper hand in possession, with six shots on target to Egypt’s three.
Gabaski was the stumbling stone for the Senegalese. He is certainly deserving of the honor.
Senegal Makes History
Senegal won the Africa Cup of Nations on penalties after defeating Egypt in the final on Sunday evening.
After 120 minutes, the game ended 0-0, with Senegal’s best chance coming from a penalty that was missed by Sadio Mane in the seventh minute.
After a suspenseful shootout, Mane was able to correct his earlier error from the spot to score the game-winning penalty and give Senegal the trophy.
Egypt’s fifth penalty was supposed to be taken by Mohamed Salah, but he never got the chance to do so.
It’s been an incredible tournament, with Liverpool’s superstars at the center of it all for the past month.
Sadio Mane! That individual! In the seventh minute, he misses a penalty, but in the 120th minute, he converts one.
