AFCON day seven: Mo's leap of grace, Sudanese keeper goes from hero to zero

Two games of Group D, the only two during the AFCON day seven, were more than enough to distinguish the heroes from the others. Also, some of the players made a sharp U-turn, from being heroes to succumbing to despair amid severe mistakes on the way.

Enough with the chit-chat, let's cut to the chase...

Hero of the day: Mohamed Salah

No words are needed in regular circumstances to explain the qualities and importance of Mo Salah for his club and the national side. However, expectations at this AFCON have been massive, and it was difficult to cope with them, especially after that 1-0 loss to Nigeria in the first round. Thankfully for the African gem, he did a marvellous job against Guinea-Bissau, scoring the game's only goal for a lifesaving victory. Don't be surprised to see Salah increasing the levels of his game in the further stages and pushing the North African giants towards new heights and crowns.

Loser of the day: Ali Abdullah Abou

Abou in despair after that dreadful mistake (©AFP)

What a rollercoaster it was for the Sudanese custodian! At one moment, he resembled those world-class keepers, seeming capable of stopping every single Super Eagles' strike. The first, the second, the third... Wow, it seemed like a new star was born. But, all of a sudden, he made such a dreadful, excruciating mistake, following Awoniyi's almost unintentional header. Abou, however, failed to deny this clumsy effort of his, which led to a 2-0 lead for Nigeria and, basically, tarnished Sudanese dreams.

Goal of the day: Mo again

The entire action that preceded Salah's winner was splendid, with his volley as a cherry on the top. Charming, skilful and relentless.