Monday, February 7, 2022 at 12:50 PM• Jordi Tomasowa • Last update: 13:04

Jamie Carragher has strongly criticized Egypt and Mohamed Salah’s decision to designate the Liverpool attacker as the fifth penalty taker in the deciding penalty shootout in the Africa Cup final. Due to missed penalties from Mohamed Abdelmonem and Mohanad Lasheen, Sadio Mané made the decision on behalf of Senegal in the series. His Liverpool teammate Salah therefore failed to take a penalty.

After four minutes of play, Senegal missed the opportunity to take the lead from the penalty spot. Referee Victor Gomes penalized a foul by Mohamed Abdelmonem on Saliou Ciss, after which a psychological game ensued. Salah apparently whispered information to his own goalkeeper Gabaski about Mané’s plans, who then also contacted the keeper himself and pointed to the right. He eventually fired hard into the left corner, but Gabaski guessed his intentions and prevented Egypt from falling behind early.

In the end, a penalty shootout after ninety minutes of regular time and an extension proved necessary to designate a winner. By hitting the target in the decisive series, Mané gave Senegal the overall victory of the Africa Cup for the first time in the history of the country. After the final, Carragher strongly criticized the choice to appoint Salah as the fifth penalty taker. “That’s why you should never designate your best penalty taker as fifth,” Carragher wrote on Twitter. “Mo Salah not taking a penalty for Egypt in a penalty shootout during a final is insane. That also happened years ago with Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal against Spain,” the analyst refers to the EURO 2012 semi-final, who played 0-0 in regular time. 0 ended.

Still, according to Carragher, trainers often choose to designate their best penalty taker as fifth. “He’s someone the manager thinks he can handle pressure,” said the 38-time England international. “I am curious whether it is the decision of the national coach or of the player. Another thing that is stupid in a penalty shootout, teams that win the toss and let the opponent take the first penalty.” During the Africa Cup, Salah always chose to let the opponent start the penalty shootout.