Egypt reached a record-equalling ninth Africa Cup of Nations final, beating Burkina Faso 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Veteran goalkeeper Essam El Hadary proved Egypt's hero, saving Bertrand Traore's spot-kick to secure victory.
In normal time Mohamed Salah opened the scoring for Egypt when he curled a superb shot into the top left corner.
Burkina Faso levelled when Aristide Bance chested down Charles Kabore's cross and volleyed in.
In doing so, they became the first side to score against Egypt this tournament.
The Burkinabe, who were the more adventurous and ambitious side throughout normal play, took an immediate advantage in the shootout.
Goalkeeper Herve Koffi, only 20 years old, magnificently pushed Abdallah El Said's spot-kick on to the post.
But he soon experienced the other side of shootouts when he stepped up to take his side's fourth penalty and was unable to beat El Hadary - who at 24 years his senior is the oldest Nations Cup player in history.
El Hadary's experience - he now has a chance to win his fifth African title - proved vital as he then saved Bertrand Traore's effort to send Burkina Faso home.
It was a dramatic end to a game that was cagey, thanks to Egypt's predominantly defensive approach, which had served them well and meant they had not conceded a goal going into the match.
Two moments of excellent football provided the breakthroughs for the teams - Salah's curling opener was sublime as was the chest control and volley from Bance that restored parity.
Otherwise the football was not quite of the highest standard, with Koffi largely a bystander.
While El Hadary was called on more often, he was relatively comfortable in keeping out shots from Prejuce Nakoulma and Banou Diawara.
Egypt's victory continues their remarkable success rate in Nations Cup semi-finals - they __have now won their past six.
In clinching victory in Libreville they equal Ghana's record of appearing in nine finals.
And if on Sunday they beat the winner of Thursday's semi-final between Cameroon and Ghana, Egypt will extend their own record as the most successful Nations Cup side with an eighth title.
- Line-ups
- Match Stats
- Live Text
Line-ups
Burkina Faso
- 16Koffi
- 2YagoBooked at 98mins
- 14Dayo
- 4Koné
- 20Coulibaly
- 8TraoreSubstituted forDiawaraat 80'minutes
- 18Kabore
- 19TraoreBooked at 86mins
- 22Blati Touré
- 7Nakoulma
- 15BancéSubstituted forTraoreat 103'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Sawadogo
- 3Paro
- 5Malo
- 6Bouba Saré
- 9Diawara
- 10Traore
- 11Pitroipa
- 12Guira
- 13Koanda
- 21Bayala
- 23Sanou
Egypt
- 1El Hadary
- 3ElmohamadySubstituted forSayed Gaberat 107'minutes
- 2Gabr Mossad
- 6Hegazy
- 7Ahmed IbrahimBooked at 40mins
- 8El Said Hamed
- 10Salah
- 19El Said
- 5Mohamed Gad
- 21HassanSubstituted forSobhiat 85'minutes
- 11Abdel-MoneimBooked at 54minsSubstituted forWardaat 74'minutes
Substitutes
- 4Sayed Gaber
- 9Hassan
- 12Abdallah Duiedar
- 14Sobhi
- 15Hafez
- 16Ekramy Ahmed
- 17Elneny
- 18Mohsen
- 20Saad Ali
- 22Warda
- Referee :
- Malang Diedhiou
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home 61%
- Away 39%
- Shots
- Home 24
- Away 6
- Shots on Target
- Home 8
- Away 2
- Corners
- Home 12
- Away 3
- Fouls
- Home 17
- Away 16
Live Text
Match ends, Burkina Faso 1(3), Egypt 1(4).
Penalties over
Penalty Shootout ends, Burkina Faso 1(3), Egypt 1(4).
Penalty saved! Bertrand Traoré (Burkina Faso) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, left footed shot saved in the bottom right corner.
Goal!
Goal! Burkina Faso 1(3), Egypt 1(4). Amr Warda (Egypt) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
Penalty saved! Kouakou Herve Koffi (Burkina Faso) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, right footed shot saved in the top right corner.
Goal!
Goal! Burkina Faso 1(3), Egypt 1(3). Mohamed Salah (Egypt) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the bottom right corner.
Goal!
Goal! Burkina Faso 1(3), Egypt 1(2). Steeve Yago (Burkina Faso) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
Goal!
Goal! Burkina Faso 1(2), Egypt 1(2). Ahmed Hegazy (Egypt) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the high centre of the goal.
Goal!
Goal! Burkina Faso 1(2), Egypt 1(1). Banou Diawara (Burkina Faso) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the top right corner.
Goal!
Goal! Burkina Faso 1(1), Egypt 1(1). Ramadan Sobhi (Egypt) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the centre of the goal.
Goal!
Goal! Burkina Faso 1(1), Egypt 1. Alain Traoré (Burkina Faso) converts the penalty with a left footed shot to the top left corner.
Penalty saved! Abdallah El Said (Egypt) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, right footed shot saved in the bottom left corner.
Penalties in progress
Penalty Shootout begins Burkina Faso 1, Egypt 1.
Second Half Extra Time ends, Burkina Faso 1, Egypt 1.
Attempt blocked. Blati (Burkina Faso) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt blocked. Bertrand Traoré (Burkina Faso) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Foul by Alain Traoré (Burkina Faso).
Abdallah El Said (Egypt) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Alain Traoré (Burkina Faso) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Prejuce Nakoulma (Burkina Faso) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Ibrahim Salah (Egypt).
Corner, Burkina Faso. Conceded by Tarek Hamed.
Banou Diawara (Burkina Faso) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Ramadan Sobhi (Egypt).
Foul by Charles Kaboré (Burkina Faso).
Amr Warda (Egypt) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Prejuce Nakoulma (Burkina Faso) right footed shot from the left side of the box is too high. Assisted by Banou Diawara.
Substitution
Substitution, Egypt. Omar Gaber replaces Ahmed Elmohamady.
Second Half Extra Time begins Burkina Faso 1, Egypt 1.
First Half Extra Time ends, Burkina Faso 1, Egypt 1.
Corner, Egypt. Conceded by Yacouba Coulibaly.
Foul by Blati (Burkina Faso).
Amr Warda (Egypt) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Burkina Faso. Alain Traoré replaces Aristide Bancé.
Attempt missed. Prejuce Nakoulma (Burkina Faso) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Banou Diawara.
Banou Diawara (Burkina Faso) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ibrahim Salah (Egypt).
Booking
Steeve Yago (Burkina Faso) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Steeve Yago (Burkina Faso).
Ramadan Sobhi (Egypt) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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