Salah's Mission: End Egypt's Senegal Hoodoo and Reach the AFCON Final
14 January 2026
Semifinal stakes and Salah’s mission
Egypt captain Mohamed Salah aims to end the goal drought that has haunted him against Senegal, a breakthrough that could push the Pharaohs into the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 final in Morocco.
The Egyptian side will face the Lions of Teranga on Wednesday evening at Ibn Battouta Stadium in Tangier, in the AFCON semifinal.
Egypt are hopeful because they have never lost a match when Salah scores; the Liverpool forward has 11 goals in 11 AFCON appearances across five editions, with Egypt winning nine and drawing two when he finds the net.
Salah, who has scored against 11 nations in AFCON (the most by any player), still carries a hoodoo against Senegal across all competitions.
Head-to-head and AFCON history
The Liverpool winger has faced Senegal five times and has not found the net in those meetings, with one win, one draw, and three defeats for Egypt.
The only Salah goal against Senegal came in the first leg of World Cup 2022 qualifying, a shot that deflected off a defender into the net. In the return, Egypt were eliminated on penalties.
The lone AFCON final draw between the teams occurred in 2021, decided by Senegal on penalties.
Egypt now seeks a tenth final appearance (a record) and its first AFCON crown since 2010.
What could come next
If they prevail, the Pharaohs will meet either Morocco or Nigeria in the other semifinal.
The match will test patience, resilience, and perhaps a Salah moment that can tilt the balance in Egypt's favor.
And if Salah finally breaks the hoodoo, maybe the trophy will stop pretending to be shy and walk toward him.
Sniper punchline: If Salah breaks the curse, the net will finally stop blushing and yield a standing ovation to the goalscorer.
Sniper punchline: If not, the only thing sharper than his runs might be the referee's whistle—call it a lesson in patience and cardio for the trophy chase.
