Ahmed Hassan (17) scores Egypt's first goal while Senegal's goalkeeper Tony Sylva tries to stop the ball during their African Nations Cup semi-final match in Cairo last night. Egypt won 2-1. - REUTERS
cairo, (reuters)
EGYPT OVERCAME A tantrum from top striker Mido and escaped what appeared to be a clear injury-time penalty against them to beat Senegal 2-1 in their African Nations Cup semi-final yesterday.
The hosts will face Ivory Coast in Friday's final after Didier Drogba's third goal of the tournament gave the Elephants a 1-0 win over Nigeria in the other match.
Amr Zaki headed Egypt's winner in the 81st minute, scoring with his first touch of the ball after replacing Mido.
But Senegal were furious when Diomansy Kamara appeared to be tripped by Ibrahim Said as he charged into the penalty area in injury-time.
At first, referee Divine Evehe of Cameroon appeared to point to the penalty spot and the Senegalese substitutes jumped off the bench celebrating.
But the official then signalled a goal kick.
"Of course, we were robbed," said Kamara. "It was a clear penalty, you can look at the pictures. The referee has to whistle for it, the rule is the same for everyone whether it is at home or away.
"African football officials have to take another look at the African game because Europeans are going to laugh at us if the refereeing is like that," said striker El Hadji Diouf.
Mido, who made a negligible contribution as he returned from injury, was involved in a furious altercation with coach Hassan Shehata on the touchline as he was taken off.
He had to be restrained by two teammates as the argument threatened to turn into physical aggression.
But as he left the stadium two hours later after being chosen for the doping test, Mido implied that his coach had been right.
"They (Egypt) had a lot of chances after I was substituted," he told Reuters. "I hope we can win the final, it's very important for us."
QUESTIONS SIDE-STEPPED
Egypt's assistant coach Shawki Gharib side-stepped questions about whether Mido, who plays for Tottenham Hotspur, would face disciplinary action or be allowed to play in the final.
"The Egypt team does not just mean Mido," he said.
Amdy Faye had two good chances early on as Senegal took early control of the match.
He forced Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary to rush out of his goal to clear the danger as he burst through the defence, then missed the post by centimetres with a long-range free kick.
But Egypt went ahead in the 36th minute when Ahmed Hassan converted a twice-taken penalty after Frederic Mendy punched the ball away in the penalty area.
The second half began dramatically as Mohamed Aboutrika hit the bar with a dipping shot before Mamadou Niang levelled in the 51st minute, heading home Lamine Diatta's long cross from the right.
The other semi-final produced limited opportunities for both teams.
Ivory Coast striker Drogba broke the deadlock two minutes into the second half when he beat the offside trap to turn onto a deep pass from Kolo Toure and hit the ball through the legs of Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama.
Nigeria brought on Jay-Jay Okocha after conceding the goal, the first appearance in the tournament for their captain, who had been suffering with a thigh injury.
Okocha had two opportunities from free kicks, the first saved by Jean-Jacques Tizie. A long-range effort also went narrowly wide in the 63rd minute.
But the Bolton Wanderers playmaker could not find any decisive passes for a Nigeria attack that was generally starved of the ball and found the Ivorian centre back pairing of Toure and Abdoulaye Meite hard to penetrate.
Nigeria will play Senegal in tomorrow's third place playoff match in Cairo.
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