Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, former Liverpool teammates, were at the centre of a heated confrontation during the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final between Egypt and Senegal. The incident occurred when Salah fouled Mane as the latter attempted to escape challenges, sparking a touchline brawl between the two benches.
In the ensuing chaos, Senegal's Habib Diarra was booked and will now miss the next match through suspension. Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly was also cautioned but left the pitch shortly after due to injury. The first half was tense, with Salah kept quiet while Mane posed a constant threat.
Despite the on-field tension, the two were seen hugging and exchanging words in the tunnel before the match. Roberto Firmino, who played between them at Liverpool, recently revealed in his book that the pair were never best friends, but always professional.
Mane ultimately had the last laugh, scoring a superb strike from distance to eliminate Egypt and send Senegal to the final.
