2017 AFRICA CUP - SEMI-FINALS - DAY 15 - Burkina Faso DR VS Egypt 3:4

AFRICA CUP 2017
SEMI-FINALS
Day 15
29th match

Burkina Faso vs Egypt 3:4
(Egypt win 4:3 on penalties)

Goal Burkina Faso
Bancé (73')

Goal Egypt
Salah (66')

...

Mohamed Salah

Egypt reached a record-equalling ninth Africa Cup of Nations final, beating Burkina Faso 4:3 on penalties after a 1:1 draw.

Veteran goalkeeper Essam El Hadary proved Egypt's hero, saving Bertrand Traore's spot-kick to secure victory.

In normal time Mohamed Salah opened the scoring for Egypt when he curled a superb shot into the top left corner.

Burkina Faso levelled when Aristide Bance chested down Charles Kabore's cross and volleyed in.

In doing so, they became the first side to score against Egypt this tournament.

The Burkinabe, who were the more adventurous and ambitious side throughout normal play, took an immediate advantage in the shootout.

Goalkeeper Herve Koffi, only 20 years old, magnificently pushed Abdallah El Said's spot-kick on to the post.

But he soon experienced the other side of shootouts when he stepped up to take his side's fourth penalty and was unable to beat El Hadary - who at 24 years his senior is the oldest Nations Cup player in history.

El Hadary's experience - he now has a chance to win his fifth African title - proved vital as he then saved Bertrand Traore's effort to send Burkina Faso home.

It was a dramatic end to a game that was cagey, thanks to Egypt's predominantly defensive approach, which had served them well and meant they had not conceded a goal going into the match.

Two moments of excellent football provided the breakthroughs for the teams.

Salah's curling opener was sublime as was the chest control and volley from Bance that restored parity.

Otherwise the football was not quite of the highest standard, with Koffi largely a bystander.

While El Hadary was called on more often, he was relatively comfortable in keeping out shots from Prejuce Nakoulma and Banou Diawara.

Egypt's victory continues their remarkable success rate in Nations Cup semi-finals - they have now won their past six.

In clinching victory in Libreville they equal Ghana's record of appearing in nine finals.

And if on Sunday they beat the winner of Thursday's semi-final between Cameroon and Ghana, Egypt will extend their own record as the most successful Nations Cup side with an eighth title.

LINE-UPS

Burkina Faso

16. Koffi
02. YagoBooked at 98mins
14. Dayo
04. Koné
20. Coulibaly
08. Traore - substituted for Diawara at 80'
18. Kabore
19. TraoreBooked at 86mins
22. Blati Touré
07. Nakoulma
15. Bancé - substituted forTraore at 103'

Substitutes

01. Sawadogo
03. Paro
05. Malo
06. Bouba Saré
09. Diawara
10. Traore
11. Pitroipa
12. Guira
13. Koanda
21. Bayala
23. Sanou

Egypt

01. El Hadary
03. Elmohamady Substituted for Sayed Gaber at 107'
02. Gabr Mossad
06. Hegazy
07. Ahmed Ibrahim - Booked at 40'
08. El Said Hamed
10. Salah
19. El Said
05. Mohamed Gad
21. Hassan - substituted forSobhiat 85'minutes
11. Abdel-Moneim Booked at 54 mins - substituted for Warda at 74'

Substitutes

04. Sayed Gaber
09. Hassan
12. Abdallah Duiedar
14. Sobhi
15. Hafez
16. Ekramy Ahmed
17. Elneny
18. Mohsen
20. Saad Ali
22. Warda

Referee:
Malang Diedhiou