Egypt's unlikely run to the Afcon final saw the Pharoahs slay giants

Written off after their campaign’s dismal start, Egypt has gone all the way to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, dispatching some of the continent’s heavyweights along the way and, just as importantly, discovering new gems in the squad.

What the Pharaohs lacked in flair and clinical finishing in Cameroon, they more than made up for with grit and team spirit, having won their last three matches after extra time against the Ivory Coast, Morocco and hosts Cameroon on Thursday night.

These victories seemed unthinkable after Egypt opened its campaign with an embarrassing defeat to Nigeria in a group match whose final score line of 0-1 belied how badly they played. Their 1-0 wins against Guinea-Bissau and Sudan — both minnows — were unconvincing.

Even Liverpool’s prolific winger Mohamed Salah, known as one of the world’s best players, was a shadow of the player who routinely torments the best of defenders in premier and champions league matches.

But this is all behind the Pharaohs now.

What stands between them and a record-extending eight titles in Africa’s marquee football tournament is Senegal, who will be playing their second consecutive Afcon final on Sunday after they lost 1-0 to Algeria in Cairo in 2019.

The West Africans will again stand in the way of the Pharaohs when the two clash next month in a two-leg playoff that will decide which one goes to the World Cup in Qatar later this year.

But what’s more pressing now for the Pharaohs is fatigue, having played 90 more minutes of football than the Senegalese, who also go to Sunday’s final having rested one more day than their opponents.

The Pharaohs, moreover, are short-handed following the loss to injury of several of the squad’s starters, including