Egypt and Liverpool football star Mohamed Salah is not known to be sad but always smiling and even during difficult match situations.

But Sunday night, February 6, 2022, was different. That night, the great Salah broke down in tears when his team lost the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to Senegal on penalties.

Salah was inconsolable after his Liverpool club mate Sadio Mane converted the last penalty kick that won the title for Senegal after the encounter ended 4-2.

He wept uncontrollably, ignoring consolations from Mane, who was quick to offer words of encouragement to the devastated Egyptian King.

Mane had classily taken a break from Senegal’s wild celebrations to have a quiet talk with his club colleague.

Mane may have scored the winning kick in the shootout, but things could have been so different given the way the opening minutes of the game played out.

Senegal were awarded a penalty just three minutes into the game, which Mane stepped up to take.

His effort was saved by Egypt stopper Mohamed Gabaski, with Salah playing a huge role in Mane's initial failure.

He spent time talking to Gabaski before Mane stepped up, telling him which way Mane was going to shoot.

At one point Mane even came over and seemed to join in the mind-games.

The Egypt shot-stopper duly saved, and from there it seemed written in the stars for Egypt to claim a record eighth AFCON title, especially when the game finished 0-0 after extra time.

Given Egypt had progressed through the last two rounds on penalties, they had to be the favourites going into the spot kicks.

But after two Egypt misses Mane made no mistake when it came to taking the decisive kick, forcing tears from Pharaoh’s skipper Salah, who was due to go next.

The two star forwards will now head back to Merseyside as they switch their focus back to Liverpool duty. (News Express Nigeria TV, with media reports)

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