Just a few months later, Senegal became the second African team ever to reach the quarter finals of the FIFA World Cup.
Then, like now, the contest was decided on penalties, although while it was Aliou Cisse who missed the decisive spot kick in the final shootout in Bamako 20 years ago, here he was the perhaps the happiest man in the Stade d'Olembe, having made history as Senegal's first AFCON-winning head coach.
Craving even more coverage of the world's game? The duo is joined by fellow Premier League stars including Watford's Ismaila Sarr, Crystal Palace midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate and Leicester City ace Nampalys Mendy.
NextWe did our best and we won.
After another sluggish first half against Cape Verde in the Round of 16, they ultimately ran out 2-0 winners despite losing Mane to a head injury.
NextThe forward was initially allowed to play on despite a hard landing, and even though he opened the scoring, Senegal were criticised for not ensuring the safety of their players.
Their achievement has brought smiles to the faces of thousands of Senegalese fans, with President Macky Sall declaring Monday a public holiday so that celebrations could continue. The Liverpool striker had also missed a seventh-minute penalty. In the latter stages, they've been more expansive, beating Equatorial Guinea and Burkina Faso 3-1 thanks to strong second-half performances.
NextThat's 600 minutes without being breached excluding Sofiane Boufal's penalty , which is particularly admirable considering the misfortune to have befallen their goalkeepers.
Congratulations to our heroes! Senegal are pooled alongside Guinea, Malawi and Zimbabwe in Group B.
NextThe West Africans will be hoping Liverpool star Mane and Watford forward Ismaila Sarr can push the team to glory in the competitions which is scheduled to kick off on January 9.
Obviously, this match pits the continent's top most prominent players today against one another for Africa's grandest prize -- arguably the first time this has happened, at least since 1980 -- as Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane prepare to go toe to toe at the Stade d'Olembe. Any legends on show at the AFCON? Coupe bi nieuw na! The keeper is now a Champions League and AFCON winner and was congratulated by a host of past and present Chelsea stars. The AFCON tournament was scheduled in the middle of European club season, sparking uproar as hundreds of players departed their clubs to represent their countries on the continent.
NextYet despite his assurances of confidence and unswerving belief in his team's eventual success in the build-up to Sunday's match, his outpourings of emotion at the final whistle -- where he appeared overcome as he was held by 2002 teammate Khalilou Fadiga -- suggested that he could only truly lay the ghosts of past failure to rest when he finally got his hands on the trophy.
It's to Egypt's credit that their manager's bellicose behaviour hasn't transferred to his players.
NextThere's a reliance on Salah, who's had a hand in three of their four goals, and if he's neutralised -- as he largely was by Cameroon's Nouhou Tolo -- then Egypt quickly run out of ideas.
Egypt: While Salah has struggled to score during AFCON so far, he has put half of Egypt's goals into the back of the net.
NextSo proud of you! Failure to win would be a crushing blow to a side that's enjoyed organic progress and made an admirable ascent up the FIFA rankings, from 64th to 20th, during Aliou Cisse's near-seven years at the helm of the national side.