Durban - Mohammed Salah required emergency security personnel to escort him off the pitch as a group of Senegalese supporters, who had been on the pitch for the celebrations, attempted to attack the Egyptian captain with bottles also thrown in his direction from the stands.
Egypt had come into the match with a 1-0 lead from the first leg, but they lost with that same scoreline on the night.
The game was then decided via the dreaded penalty shootout, the second between the two sides in just over a month following their meeting in the Africa Cup of Nations final.
While a lot could be said about the laser beams that shined at the Egyptian players whenever they took a spot kick, Salah's attempt shocked a fully packed Stade Me Abdoulaye Wade after it flew over the bar, giving the hosts the early advantage.
💔![CDATA[]]>💔The attempt to attack Mohamed Salah by the Senegalese fans after the match, it is really a tragedy pic.twitter.com/bXZT6Lo6PY
— Mosalah 🇪![CDATA[]]>🇬![CDATA[]]>🐐 (@z2hanysalah) March 29, 2022
Both sides surprisingly spurned their first four penalties in the shoot-out, but Senegal ended up winning 3-1 after Mane held his nerve, like he did in the Afcon final, from 12 yards to fired his side into 2022 Fifa World Cup finals in Qatar.
There were similar scenes were witnessed at Nigeria's MKO Abiola Stadium after the hosts were beaten by Ghana on away goals following a 1-1 draw.
A group of fans reportedly destroyed infrastructure, another blot on African football’s copybook following a hugely controversial Afcon.
Angry Nigeria fans storm the stadium, after Nigeria lost to Ghana and failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in Abuja, Nigeria.#NGRGHA pic.twitter.com/9lnnZdj4vN
— Africa Facts Zone (@AfricaFactsZone) March 29, 2022
Senegal will have the company of Ghana, Morocco, Tunisia and Cameroon as the five African countries to represent the continent in football's biggest showpiece.