SENEGAL: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Senegal's football team " Les Lions" defeats Kenya's " Harambe Stars" 1-0 in friendly game ahead Senegals 2012 African Cup of Nations appearance

Record ID: 362204

  • Title: SENEGAL: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Senegal's football team " Les Lions" defeats Kenya's " Harambe Stars" 1-0 in friendly game ahead Senegals 2012 African Cup of Nations appearance
  • Date: 17th January 2012
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) JAMES NANDWA, KENYA TEAM COACH SAYING: "We came in as underdogs because our team is under 23 and I was given this team, it's an 23 under team. I was very happy, I was ambitious. The boys they told me that they were going to work hard because for some of them this is their first international match. I'm happy because they took this match like a final t
  • Embargoed: 1st February 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya, Senegal, Senegal
  • City:
  • Country: Senegal Kenya
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA9JCGJYJE6LWWB41PBUQQOXJ6D
  • Story Text: Kenya's football stars of the future had the opportunity to shine on Sunday (January 15, 2012) when a team of Under 23s played Senegal's national team ahead of the start of the African Cup of Nations (CAN) on January 21.
    Kenya's team flew out to the Senegalese capital Dakar on Friday (January 13) after a last minute request for a friendly match.
    Despite the short notice Kenya's young side put up an impressive performance, proving themselves to be the stronger side in the first half with several chances at goal.
    Senegal won their narrow victory with a single goal in the 62nd minute by striker Papiss Demba Cisse who tapped it in after a pass from Souleymane Camara.
    It was the Lions of Teranga's last warm up match before CAN kicks off and seen as a disappointing performance from the Senegal side, touted as a strong challenger to favourites Ivory Coast and Ghana in the African Cup.
    Speaking after the match, Kenya's coach James Nandwa defended the decision to field a young side saying the players were in good shape and had shown their strength in the match.
    "We came in as underdogs because our team is under 23 and I was given this team, it's an under 23 team. I was very happy, I was ambitious. The boys they told me that they were going to work hard because for some of them this is their first international match. I'm happy because they took this match like a final to them therefore they played with that pressure according to the way we decided to play and they played very well," he said.
    Senegal's coach said his team would have to lift their game if they expect to come away victorious at CAN.
    "Any who wants to win this kind of competition had better prepare quickly. They've got to get stronger by handling these games well to be ready for the last game in their pool. But this time we had a patchy performance and too many excuses," said Amara Traore.
    Kenya's under 23s will also face Guinea in a friendly match on January 18.
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