There was heartbreak for Mohamed Salah and the Pharaohs of Egypt on Tuesday as they suffered another dramatic penalty kick shootout defeat to Senegal.
The result meant they lost out on qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup billed for Qatar in November and December.
Salah’s Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane sent Senegal through with the winning penalty kick in the shootout victory after the Egyptian missed his effort.
Hosts Senegal had recovered from a 1-0 first-leg deficit to beat Egypt by the same margin at the Abdoulaye Wade Stadium in Dakar.
Salah, with dozens of laser pens seemingly pointing at his face, fired Egypt’s first penalty kick of the shootout over the bar.
Mostafa Mohamed later failed with the visitors’ fourth kick, allowing Mane to slam his penalty kick past Mohamed El Shenawy and seal Senegal’s progress.
It was a repeat of the west African side’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title triumph against Egypt in Cameroon last February.
There was stunning late drama in Bilda as Karl Toko Ekambi scored late in extra time to seal a 2-1 win for visitors Cameroon against Algeria.
The Indomitable Lions have now progressed to Qatar via away goals after a 2-2 aggregate draw.
Algeria thought they had sealed a place at the World Cup when Ahmed Touba cancelled out Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s opener with two minutes remaining in extra time.
But there was just enough time left for Ekambi to seal the most dramatic of victories.
Morocco also booked their place in Friday’s World Cup draw with an emphatic 4-1 win over Democratic Republic of Congo.
A brace from Azzedine Ounahi, and goals from Tarik Tissoudali and Achraf Hakimi, sealed a 5-2 aggregate win over DR Congo, who scored a late consolation through Ben Malango.
Meanwhile, a 0-0 draw for Tunisia against Mali was enough to see the former seal their own place in Qatar after they managed a 1-0 win in the first leg.(dpa/NAN)