World Cup playoffs provide a Salah vs. Mané sequel

By GERALD IMRAY
AP Sports Writer

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Africa’s World Cup playoffs will serve up a Mohamed Salah vs. Sadio Mané sequel as the Liverpool teammates face off on opposite sides again with their countries. Salah’s Egypt will face Mané’s Senegal in one of the continent’s five decisive World Cup playoffs, with the first leg in Cairo on Friday. The draw for the playoffs was made before the African Cup of Nations, where the two Liverpool stars met in a final won by Senegal in a shootout thanks to Mané’s winning penalty. Egypt vs. Senegal headlines the playoffs but there’s also Ghana vs. Nigeria, Cameroon vs. Algeria, Congo vs. Morocco and Mali vs. Tunisia to decide Africa’s five teams at the World Cup in Qatar.