The playoff results reflected a major shift in power north to the Arabic-speaking countries, who have long dominated African club competition and are now flexing their muscles at national team level too.
This time it was his Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah who grabbed the honours, hitting the crossbar in the fourth minute and then watching the rebound come off Senegal defender Saliou Ciss’ knee for an own goal. “History does not talk about those who play better. As we know, Italy played well against Macedonia and they are out of the World Cup.”