MOHAMED SALAH’S FOUL ON SADIO MANE SPARKS TOUCHLINE FRACAS IN HEATED AFCON SEMI-FINAL

Egypt's Mohamed Salah is challenged by Senegal's Pape Gueye, rear, during the Africa Cup of Nations semifinal in Tangier, Morocco

The Africa Cup of Nations semi-final between Egypt and Senegal nearly reached boiling point as members of both benches clashed following a foul from Mohamed Salah on former Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane.

Egypt captain Salah clipped Mane from behind as he tried to win the ball near the halfway line, with Mohamed Hany then going down under a soft challenge from Habib Diarra moments after the whistle had gone.

While the players were keen to get on with the game, both tackles incensed members of each nation’s bench, with the challenges prompting a touchline fracas between the respective dugouts that saw several staff and substitutes clashing.

Both benches cleared in the scuffle, with coaches having to be separated. Diarra and Senegal manager Pape Thiaw attempted to calm things down between the various members of each bench.

Despite the various incidents of pushing and shoving, everyone on each bench managed to avoid further sanctions, though Senegal midfielder Diarra talked himself into a booking, meaning he will be suspended for Sunday’s final after Senegal won the game 1-0.

Mane had the last laugh on his former Liverpool team-mate Salah as his 78th minute goal put Senegal through to Sunday’s final against host nation Morocco, who beat Nigeria on penalties in tonight’s other semi-final.

Diarra was not the only player to see himself ruled out of the final, with Senegal captain and former Chelsea centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly also suspended for the showpiece event after receiving a yellow card in the 17th minute.

The 34-year-old was perhaps lucky not to be red carded as he scythed down Omar Marmoush on the break, with the Egypt attacker nearly clean through as he was fouled.

That action was one of the last of the tournament for Koulibaly, with the defender subsequently forced off around five minutes later with what appeared to be a groin injury. He was replaced by Strasbourg defender Mamadou Sarr.

- Chris Wilson

FUMING THOMAS TUCHEL ROUNDS ON 'FROZEN' ENGLAND STARS AS HARRY KANE POINTS FINGER OF BLAME

England crashed to a humiliating defeat to Senegal on Tuesday night, with Thomas Tuchel's reign threatening to unravel just four games in as his side were booed off

Thomas Tuchel has been left furious with his England players(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Thomas Tuchel said his players were ‘frozen’ as his England team were humiliated by Senegal in Nottingham. England were booed off by supporters inside the City Ground after Tuchel suffered his first defeat as Three Lions boss.

“Felt a bit frozen, not active enough for a long time over the match,” declared Tuchel. “We go into a long break with a bad feeling. It's a disappointing result. I’m not sure if we did not deserve a little bit more result-wise.”

Harry Kane had pounced for his 73rd international goal to give England an early lead but Ismaila Sarr equalised just before half-time. Habib Diarra fired Senegal ahead just after the hour mark.

And home misery was complete when substitute Cheikh Sabaly added a third in added time. Tuchel added: “We conceded two very cheap goals and then had big chances to equalise.

"We didn’t … so the result is the result. It is tough learning at the moment because we hate to lose.”

Harry Kane said there were “no excuses” for the defeat - England’s first-ever at the hands of an African nation - but proceeded to blast Stephanie Frappart’s decision to rule out a Jude Bellingham strike that would have made it 2-2 late in the game.

Frappart was sent to the screen by VAR and gave handball against Levi Colwill in the build-up to Bellingham’s hit. Kane declared: “If you know the rules it's not handball. That gets us back in the game and maybe we can go on and win the game, so it's a big moment.”

The England skipper did, though, suggest his side had not shown enough fight, saying: “We had moments but, with and without the ball, things aren't clicking, we're not finding the right tempo. We've lost that aggressive nature that we had. Not good enough.

The Three Lions crashed to a humiliating defeat to Senegal on Tuesday night(Image: The FA via Getty Images)

“It's a mixture of things but no excuses. We need to find it quick, the World Cup is going to come around really fast so every camp is really important right now. We're not going to panic but we know we need to be better.”

And Tuchel, who defended his decision to only bring on Ivan Toney three minutes from the end of normal time, also said he would be staying calm, adding: “We lost a test (friendly) match so there is no need to panic.

“We have three qualification games, we have nine points, and have not conceded. We will be competitive in September. We will go for two more victories, 100 per cent we will.

“We know more now, we are smarter. It’s tough at the moment. I am the first one to dislike and hate losses like nothing else. But we don’t go next week to the World Cup, we go in one year.”

- Andy Dunn

SENEGAL BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN TEAM TO BEAT ENGLAND WITH A 3-1 WIN IN FRIENDLY

Senegal stunned England 3-1 in a friendly match at Nottingham, handing the Three Lions their first loss under Thomas Tuchel. England struggled despite an early goal from captain Harry Kane. They conceded three back-to-back goals after that.

England suffered a 1-3 defeat against Senegal, losing their first game against an African team. Image: Reuters

NOTTINGHAM: Senegal became the first African team to beat England in 22 games on Tuesday, winning 3-1 in a friendly at the City Ground thanks to goals from Ismaila Sarr, Habib Diarra and Cheikh Sabaly.

Senegal stretched their unbeaten streak to 24 games, while England’s loss, which included a disallowed late goal from Jude Bellingham for a handball in the build-up, was their first defeat in four games under new manager Thomas Tuchel.

- Reuters