- Title: Senegal fans erupt in Dakar as side takes first Africa Cup
- Date: 7th February 2022
- Summary: DAKAR, SENEGAL (FEBRUARY 06, 2022) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ERUPTING IN CELEBRATION AROUND THE AFRICAN REBORN MONUMENT IN DAKAR WHEN SENEGAL WINS THE AFRICA CUP OF NATION (2 SHOTS) FANS CELEBRATING FOR THE CAMERA (SOUNDBITE) (French) SENEGALESE STUDENT, NAFI DIA, SAYING: "Thank God, we won. We are taking the cup back home. This is our first victory. We are so proud. " FANS APPLAUDING DURING THE MATCH AS THEY WATCH ON LARGE, OUTDOOR SCREEN FANS CELEBRATING SENEGAL'S VICTORY FANS CELEBRATING FROM ON TOP OF SCAFFOLDING VARIOUS MORE OF FANS CELEBRATING (2 SHOTS) (SOUNDBITE) (French) SENEGALESE STUDENT, CHEIKHOU SECK, SAYING: "We are living the present. What happened a long time ago, to be honest, we had to wait for the AFCON (title) for so long. Now, all the wounds are cured. We couldn't have done better and honestly, I'm saying Gathe Ngalama to the Lions (Congratulation to the Lions)." SENEGAL FAN WATCHING THE MATCH SENEGAL FANS WATCHING THE MATCH SENEGAL FANS LOOKING STRESSED AS THEY WATCH (SOUNDBITE) (French) SENEGALESE STUDENT, NAFI DIA SAYING: "The game was really intense. Today, I was not really confident. But after, when it was penalty shootout time, I was not really believing in the victory. But after, when Sadio scored, we were all really happy and 'alhamdulillah', everything was alright." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WATCHING THE MATCH ON LARGE SCREEN (SOUNDBITE) (French) JURIST IN PARIS, MARIEME BA. SAYING: "It was really difficult. We had joy, fear, emotions. Me, I came from Paris today to see the final in Senegal. To be honest, a lot of emotions mixed up, but thank God for the happiness at the end." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CELEBRATING AROUND THE AFRICA REBORN MONUMENT (SOUNDBITE) (Wolof) SHOEMAKER, SALIOU MBAYE, SAYING: "We are so happy! We have been waiting for this victory for so long after so many years without winning AFCON. May this victory bring us luck." VICTORY FIREWORKS AFRICAN REBORN MONUMENT
- Embargoed: 21st February 2022 01:13
- Keywords:
- Location: DAKAR, SENEGAL
- City: DAKAR, SENEGAL
- Country: Senegal
- Topics: Africa,Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001FXJDYRJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Senegal erupted in celebration on Sunday (February 6) night after its soccer team overcame Egypt to win the Africa Cup of Nations, giving the West African country its first tournament win after decades of heartbreaking near misses.
Cheers, car horns and fireworks greeted the final whistle in the seaside capital Dakar after a hard-won victory in a penalty shootout that in an instant erased Senegal's reputation as one of Africa's underachieving footballing nations.
Fans at a watch party surrounding the landmark Africa Reborn Monument jumped and cheered as their side finally won in the penalty shootout.
It was a seen of pure joy for Senegalese soccer fans who have seen their fair share of sporting heartache, and who in the last two years have suffered the restrictions and economic hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Senegal lost to Algeria in the final of the last tournament in 2019, but entered this year's competition as favourites.
Their squad is full of stars from some of Europe's top clubs, most famously Liverpool striker Sadio Mane, who scored the winning penalty in Sunday's shootout in Cameroon's capital Yaounde after missing a chance from the spot during regular time.
The victory ends a storied history of tough losses. In 2002 Senegal narrowly missed the opportunity to become the first African team to reach a World Cup semi-final, losing to Turkey in extra time. That year it also lost in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations.
In the 2018 World Cup it was eliminated at the group stage under a new rule that penalised it for receiving more yellow cards than group rival Japan.
On Sunday those old memories were forgotten.
"We are so happy! We have been waiting for this victory for so long after so many years without winning AFCON. May this victory bring us luck," shoemaker Saliou Mbaye said.
(Production: Elodie Toto, Ngouda Diole) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2022. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None