Lions of Teranga roar into World Cup finals despite laser controversy

LONDON. — The Egyptian Football Association says its players — and Mohamed Salah in particular — were the subject of racist abuse from Senegal fans during their World Cup play-off game on Tuesday night.

It also claims Senegalese fans threw bottles and rocks at players during the warm-ups and attacked the team bus as it approached the stadium. The Egyptian FA posted pictures of the incidents to its official Instagram account.

Liverpool forward Sadio Mane slotted the decisive spot-kick in the penalty shoot-out to send Senegal to the World Cup finals at Egypt’s expense.

While they didn’t address the lasers specifically, the Egypt FA have confirmed that they have filed a complaint based on the atmosphere in Senegal.

“The Egyptian Football Association have lodged a formal complaint against its Senegalese counterpart to the match observer, the security official, CAF, and FIFA, before the start of the match between the two teams,” the federation said.

“The Egypt national team have been exposed to racism with offensive signs in the stands against the Egyptian players in general, and Mohamed Salah in particular.

“The crowd also intimidated the players by throwing bottles and rocks on them during the warm-up.

“The Egyptian group’s busses have also been exposed to assaults that led to broken windows and injuries; filed with pictures and videos as proof in the complaint submitted.”

Salah was blinded by lasers and pelted with bottles — as he missed in a penalty shootout to end his World Cup dream.

Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane scored the winning spot-kick to ensure Senegal beat Egypt in a repeat of the AFCON final.

Yobs targeted Egypt’s players with dangerous laser pens throughout the World Cup play-off final second leg in Senegal’s capital Dakar.

The Pharaohs’ penalty takers were peppered by the lights during the shootout as three of their four takers missed.

Salah blasted his effort wildly over the bar — before Mane fired Senegal to Qatar 2022 at his expense.

The Egypt skipper was then led down the tunnel by security staff who protected his head as fans hurled missiles at him.

Senegal won the game 1-0 on the night, sending the game to extra-time and penalties following the reverse score in Egypt on Friday.

There had been previous calls for FIFA to ban laser pens from stadiums.

Ophthalmologist and retinal specialist Dr Robert Josephburg had previously warned: “I have been stunned at the power of these things.

“We are talking about serious damage even if someone is only exposed to it for a few seconds. 

“Sport is an area to worry about, especially if some fans are trying to get an advantage for their team.

“People have to realise this is not fun and games, it is serious stuff.

“You are endangering someone’s vision. There can be huge repercussions and a real risk of causing at least temporary, and possibly permanent, damage to a person’s vision.

“If I was a player I would be terrified.

“I only hope the authorities act before some real harm is done. 

“The retina is very sensitive and is not made to cope with light of that intensity.

“If it is shone for even a few seconds into someone’s eyes different symptoms can occur — temporary blindness, blurry vision, spotty vision, the sight may not even fully return.”

The laser scandal in Dakar came after Egyptian yobs has targeted Senegal players with laser pens in the first leg in Cairo.

Just as in the African Cup of Nations Final, Mane scored the decisive penalty in the shootout that decided another niggly, nerve-shredding match.

This time Salah took a spot-kick, having been denied the chance by his Liverpool team-mate’s winner in January.

But the Egyptian King blasted their first penalty over the crossbar just when his country needed him to show some composure after his poor display in normal and extra time.

As Salah waited to take his spot-kick, lasers could be seen shining on his face and videos on social media appeared to show that it was home fans with the lasers. Salah missed his penalty – blazing his kick over the bar.

Mane’s spot-kick concluded a dramatic second leg in Diamniadio after Hamdi Fathi’s fourth-minute own goal hauled the hosts level following Egypt’s 1-0 win in Cairo on Friday night.

Senegal dominated most of the proceedings and Egypt were indebted to goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy, who produced a series of stunning saves to deny Pape Abdou Cisse and Ismaila Sarr in extra-time.

“I was not worried about how they’ll manage the game mentally. 

“We have guys who have won the Champions League,” said winning coach Aliou Cisse.

Meanwhile, Thomas Partey’s early goal saw Ghana also qualify for the finals after a 1-1 draw with Nigeria in Abuja, which proved enough to send the Ghanaians through on the away goals rule. 

But there were ugly scenes after the match as videos on social media appeared to show Nigerian fans storming the pitch at full-time and breaking stadium seats, forcing police to use tear gas to disperse crowds.

Also in action on Tuesday night were Cameroon, who won 2-1 in Algeria to take the game to extra time after the first match had ended 1-0 to Algeria. However, the clash ended 2-2 on aggregate, meaning Cameroon qualified on the away-goals rule.

Elsewhere, Morocco thrashed DR Congo 4-1 at home to advance to the finals 5-2 on aggregate, while Tunisia played out a goalless draw at home to Mali to progress 1-0 on aggregate.

The draw for the World Cup finals takes place tomorrow at 7pm. — Sky Sports.