Egypt or Ivory Coast: Senegal’s Countdown to a Revenge-Filled AFCON Semi
9 January 2026
Semifinal stakes and revenge on the horizon
Senegal earned a place in the Africa Cup of Nations semifinal with a 1-0 win over Mali, awaiting the outcome of tomorrow's Egypt vs Ivory Coast clash to decide their opponent.
If Egypt advances, the match will carry a revenge thread: the Pharaohs lost the 2021 AFCON final to Senegal on penalties.
Egypt also seeks to rebound from missing the 2022 World Cup, while the Lions of Teranga chase a second continental title; Ivory Coast, who beat Senegal on penalties in the previous edition, could turn this into another revenge tale.
What could unfold and historical context
Senegal still dreams of adding a second AFCON trophy to its tally, while Egypt has seven titles and Ivory Coast three, according to the article’s framing. The semi-final opponent will be decided by the result of the Egypt vs Ivory Coast match.
The clash will carry more than a trophy; it will be a test of memories for the teams, with past meetings and near-misses fueling the narratives around the game.
Two stories will collide: a Senegalese bid for a second crown and a revenge arc that could redefine how these nations remember their AFCON campaigns.
Punchlines to keep you smiling: If football were a sniper, the sharpest aim would still need a good dose of luck to hit the back of the net. And remember, in this tournament, the only thing sharper than a goal is the crowd’s imagination about what comes next.
