adminLIBREVILLE. – Veteran 44-year-old goalkeeper Essam El Hadary saved from Bertrand Traore’s spot-kick to allow Egypt to beat Burkina Faso 4-3 on penalties on Wednesday night as they secured their place in the African Cup of Nations soccer final.
A tense semi-final in Libreville had ended 1-1 after 90 minutes and extra time, with Roma star Mohamed Salah’s superb 66th-minute opener for the Egyptians quickly cancelled out by Aristide Bance for Burkina Faso.
That goal was the first conceded by El Hadary — the oldest ever player at the Cup of Nations — in 653 minutes at the tournament going back to 2010.
Abdallah El Said missed Egypt’s first penalty in the shoot-out but El Hadary kept the Pharaohs in it when he saved from opposing goalkeeper Herve Koffi, before denying Traore from the last kick.
For Egypt, the record seven-time champions of Africa, the win completes a remarkable journey all the way to the final in their first appearance at the tournament after a seven-year absence.
Unbeaten in 24 games at the tournament, they will play Cameroon or Ghana in Gabon’s capital on Sunday as they look to reclaim a trophy they had won three times in a row between 2006 and 2010 before their fall from grace. – AFP.
Online Reporter