Edouard Mendy and Mohanad Lasheen meet again in Confederations Cup clash

Edouard Mendy and Mohanad Lasheen will cross paths once more in a contest that carries both history and pressure.

Their meeting takes on a personal tone after the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations final, where Lasheen’s missed penalty handed Senegal the edge and cemented Mendy’s role as a national hero.

On Tuesday in Jeddah, the Egyptian side Pyramids FC, current CAF Champions League holders, will battle Mendy’s Al Ahli in the FIFA Confederations Cup second round. For Lasheen, the game stirs memories of that fateful night when Egypt fell 4-2 on penalties after a goalless draw. Substituted on in the 99th minute, he carried the weight of a decisive moment that still lingers.

Now, the midfielder has the chance to face the same rival, though in club colors rather than national jerseys. Both men know the outcome could define more than just qualification. The winner will secure a place in the Intercontinental Cup semifinals to meet either the South American champions or Mexico’s Cruz Azul in Doha on December 13. Paris Saint-Germain await in the final.