Mendy Helps Senegal Into AFCON Semi-Finals
- Leicester City's Papy Mendy stars for Senegal in a 3-1 win over Equatorial Guinea on Sunday
- Mendy played the full game for his nation, a third outing of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations
- The Lions of Teranga will face Burkina Faso in the semi-finals of the competition
- Wilfred Ndidi, Kelechi Iheanacho and Daniel Amartey have also featured in Cameroon
The 2019 runners-up reached the last-eight phase as Group B winners, with five points, before overcoming Cape Verde last time out. Mendy, on the other hand, started once in the group stage, during a 0-0 draw with Malawi, while also featuring for the Lions of Teranga in Tuesday's last-16 success.
With Burkina Faso awaiting the winners in the semi-finals in Yaoundé, the Leicester City midfielder was again in the starting XI at Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo on Sunday. Early on, Idrissa Gueye curled a free-kick wide, before Sadio Mané fed the ball through to Boulaye Dia, but his effort was blocked.
Senegal were ahead after 28 minutes, too, when Mané slid an inch-perfect pass into Famara Diédhiou to send a first-time finish past Jesús Owono in Equatorial Guinea's net. Mendy himself could have doubled his country's lead 10 minutes later, but his strike from range was scooped up by Owono.
Diédhiou also went close before the interval, after Mendy linked up nicely with Bouna Sarr, but the defence was able to get the ball back at the last minute. After the restart, Kalidou Koulibaly was given a reprieve after initially being penalised for handball in the area, before VAR overturned the call.
Mendy and his colleagues were less fortunate in the 57th minute, as Equatorial Guinea winger Jannick Buyla tucked the ball away into the bottom corner to make it 1-1. The introduction of Cheikhou Kouyaté from the bench, though, would prove crucial as the Crystal Palace man restored Senegal's lead.
In the 68th minute, Kouyaté was in the right place to get on the end of Koulibaly's header after a corner wasn't cleared well enough. Managed by former Paris Saint-Germain, Birmingham City and Portsmouth defensive midfielder Aliou Cissé, Senegal then looked to regain a control over proceedings.
It got better too when Ismaïla Sarr side-footed home with 11 minutes to go. Chelsea goalkeeper Édouard Mendy's talents were required in the latter moments, to deny Pedro Oba from close range, but the Lions of Teranga – with Mendy completing 90 minutes – were able to hold out.
Senegal's reward is a last-four tie against Burkina Faso on Wednesday evening (7pm GMT kick-off). Check back to LCFC.com to find out how Mendy and his country fare as they bid to win a first AFCON crown.