Egypt vs Senegal: AFCON semifinal – team news, start time and lineups

[(Senegal) Strength]:
1. As the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations champions, Senegal aim to return to the final by reaching the semi-final again.
2. Mane, Senegal's all-time top scorer, has scored one goal in this tournament. While not prolific, his ability to draw defenders is highly effective.
3. Iliman Ndiaye, who plays for Everton, scored the winning goal in the quarter-final and is in excellent form.
4. Senegal are unbeaten in their last 15 official matches, with a stellar defensive record, conceding only six goals and keeping clean sheets in most games.
5. In the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations final, the match ended 0-0 in regular time, with Senegal winning 4-2 in a penalty shootout.

[(Senegal) Neutral]:
1. In their previous seven encounters, both teams have won three, lost three, and drawn one, showing an even record.

[(Senegal) Weakness]:
1. In the quarter-final, Senegal defeated Mali 1-0 to advance to the semi-final. They dominated the match but had poor conversion rates, scoring only once from 19 shots.

[(Egypt) Strength]:
1. Facing their old rivals Senegal from the 2021 final, Egypt are determined to avenge that loss and secure a spot in the final.
2. Captain Salah has scored four goals and provided one assist for Egypt in this tournament. In the last match against Cote d'Ivoire, he contributed one goal and one assist, showcasing his hot form.
3. Marmoush, who plays for Manchester City in the Premier League, has scored two goals in this tournament, including the opener in the last match.
4. Egypt eliminated Cote d'Ivoire 3-2 in their last match. Despite having only 29% possession compared to Cote d'Ivoire's 71%, they were more efficient in counterattacks, scoring three goals from six shots, four of which were on target.

[(Egypt) Neutral]:
1. In their two most recent meetings, each team secured a narrow 1-0 victory, highlighting their closely matched strength.

[(Egypt) Weakness]:
1. Veteran left-back Mohamed Hamdi is absent from the tournament due to injury.
2. Egypt have drawn two of their last three matches, including a 1-1 draw in regular time against weaker Benin, though they eventually won in extra time. The team struggled to break down low-block defenses.

[Tips]:
As old rivals from the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations final, the two teams meet again in the semi-final, making this a clash of titans. Egypt have relied heavily on Salah's individual brilliance to reach the semi-final, but their defensive issues are prominent, and other players have rarely stepped up to help share the goal-scoring burden. Senegal have also had a bumpy journey in this tournament, with solid defensive performances but few highlights in attack, struggling to break down stubborn defenses in tight matches. Overall, past encounters between the two have been evenly matched with no clear gap. This match will likely hinge on individual performances from star players, and a draw is quite probable. Comparatively, Egypt, led by the in-form Salah, are favored to avoid defeat in regular time.

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Egypt (+0/0.5)