Senegal 0(4)-0(2) Egypt: 5 talking points as Mane redeems himself after penalty miss as Senegal lift maiden trophy | 2021 AFCON final

Senegal are the 2021 AFCON champions. Sadio Mane and co. came out on top in a gruelling and slow title-deciding clash against Egypt on penalties, with both goalkeepers saving a penalty in the shootout.

Senegal dictated play for most of the game, but Egypt also saw a few chances to break the deadlock. The seven-time winners relied on finding Mohamed Salah on the break. But it seldom worked out, as the Senegal defenders kept the Liverpool forward quiet.

Mane missed a golden opportunity to give his side an early lead when his powerful effort from the penalty spot was saved by the in-form Gabaski. Chances were few and far between as both sides lacked decisiveness in the final third.

However, the Lions of Teranga made their second consecutive appearance in the final count. On that note, here's a look at the five talking points from the game:

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#5 Egypt tried to slow the game at every possible opportunity

Egypt were the second-best team throughout the game.

Egypt made it to the final of the competition with a series of low-scoring games. They scored just twice in four knockout games, with all the matches going into extra time.

This game also continued the trend. One of the major reasons for the same has to be the various time-wasting tactics employed by the Pharaohs. Their major focus was not on being creative but on disrupting the Lions of Teranga's attacking moves, which resulted in a lot of fouls.

Even while taking corners or throw-ins, they took their sweet time. Every time one of their players went down, Egypt ensured that at least a few minutes were wasted. It seemed clear that they were happy to play out yet another penalty shootout.

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#4 Constant stoppages stymied Senegal's momentum

The game was stopped multiple times in the first half.

One of the reasons why Egypt did not enjoy a high-scoring run to the final is because there has not been much of buildup play in their games. Just like in their semi-final tie against Cameroon, the referee had to blow the whistle quite frequently.

Even in the final, play was stopped many times in the first half. That meant there was rarely any opportunities for either team, especially Senegal, to create any tangible chances from open play.

It was a slow game and it became apparent halfway through that the game was heading for a penalty shootout, and so it proved.

#3 Goalkeepers steal the show in dull goalless game

Edouard Mendy saved Mohanad Lasheen's penalty in the shootout.

Senegal had the better share of chances in the game than Egypt. It was their goalkeeper Edouard Mendy who was arguably the best player on the night. He was not too busy in regulation time, but made two crucial saves.

Just before half-time, Salah found space inside the box and tried to curl one in from his left foot at the near post. However, the Chelsea keeper was up to the task, tipping the ball over.

Mendy's counterpart Gabanski continued to impress, as he denied Sadio Mane from the spot in the seventh minute. He also stood firm in the shootout to deny Bouna Sarr. He was the standout player for the team in the tournament, but unfortunately, his teammates failed to match his level of play.

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#2 Third time's the charm for Senegal

Senegal won their first major international trophy.

Senegal coach Aliou Cissé will be a happy man after leading his team to the AFCON title as a coach. Previously, he had failed to do so as the team's captain when they first made it to the AFCON final in the 2002 edition.

Senegal suffered heartbreak in the 2019 edition, suffering a narrow 1-0 loss to Algeria in the title decider. So finally lifting the winner's medal and that too against Egypt, the record seven-time champions, is a great achievement for the team.

Senegal conceded just two goals in their title-winning campaign while scoring eight times in the knockout stage. They were strong favourites heading into the competition, so it is good to see that they lived up to expectations.

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#1 Sadio Mane redeems himself after missed penalty

Sadio Mane missed a penalty, but scored the winning one in the shootout.

It was poetic justice that Sadio Mane, the standout player for Senegal, took the last kick of the 2021 AFCON. He has missed a great chance to give his team an early lead when Saliou Ciss was brought down in the box by a sliding tackle from Mohamed Abdelmonem.

Mane stepped up to take the penalty, with his Liverpool teammate Salah having a word with Gabanski. Mane went for power over placement, but his driven effort down the middle was saved by the goalkeeper, who stood his ground.

However, Mane redeemed himself with a confident spot-kick in the shootout. For his outstanding performances in the knockout stage of the competition, he was awarded the Player of the Tournament award.