Egypt’s Gabaski deserved the #AFCON2021 best goalkeeper award – Edouard Mendy

Senegal goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy, has suggested Egypt goalkeeper Abou Gabal “Gabaski” deserved to be named as the goalkeeper of the just completed AFCON.

The Chelsea goalie was given the award as the tournament’s best goalkeeper at the end of the final showdown on penalties, which saw Senegal win the competition for the first time in their history.

Mendy, after missing the first two games of the competition due to coronavirus, was restored in post for the subsequent games, keeping three clean sheets in five games while also conceding twice. Compared to the Senegalese, Gabaski featured in four games in the tournament conceding once and putting up a historic performance in Egypt’s run to the final.

Despite being given the award, Mendy believes the Egyptian was the best goalkeeper of the tournament,

“Gabaski is the best goalkeeper of the tournament, honestly. I spoke to him and I told him he deserves it [to win goalkeeper of the tournament]. And I was really impressed by his tournament,” Mendy told Egyptian TV station MBC after the final.

Gabaski was voted the man of the match at the end of the game against Senegal after making eight saves in 120 minutes of action.