Sarr starts as Mane and Salah face off in Senegal-Egypt AFCON final

Egypt’s forward Mohamed Salah puts his jersey on during a training session at an annex of the Olembe stadium in Yaounde on February 5, 2022 on the eve of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) final football match between Senegal and Egypt. (Photo by Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP)

Ismaila Sarr was handed his first start for Senegal at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Sunday’s final against Egypt as Liverpool stars Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah prepared to go head to head.

Watford winger Sarr arrived in Cameroon injured and made his first appearance in the quarter-final against Equatorial Guinea, coming off the bench to score in a 3-1 victory.

Sarr also came on as a substitute in the semi-final win over Burkina Faso, convincing coach Aliou Cisse to select him ahead of Bamba Dieng on the right-wing in the only change to their line-up.

Mane was selected to play on the other side of the attack for a Senegal side looking to win the Cup of Nations for the first time.

Egypt’s forward Mohamed Salah smiles during a press conference at the Olembe stadium in Yaounde on February 5, 2022 on the eve of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) final football match between Senegal and Egypt. (Photo by Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP)

Emam Ashour of Zamalek replaced the suspended right-back Omar Kamal in the only change to the Egypt team that started their semi-final against Cameroon, which they won on penalties.

Coach Carlos Queiroz was suspended after being shown a red card on the touchline in that game.

Starting line-ups: Senegal (4-3-3)

Edouard Mendy; Bouna Sarr, Kalidou Koulibaly (capt), Abdou Diallo, Saliou Ciss; Idrissa Gana Gueye, Nampalys Mendy, Cheikhou Kouyate; Ismaila Sarr, Famara Diedhiou, Sadio Mane

Coach: Aliou Cisse (SEN)

Egypt (4-3-3)

Mohamed Abou