Afcon 2022: Senegal in party mode after victory against Egypt in Dakar
- Cheers, car horns and fireworks greeted the final whistle in the capital Dakar after a hard-won victory in a penalty shoot-out at the Africa Cup of Nations
- In 2002 Senegal narrowly missed the opportunity to become the first African team to reach a World Cup semi-final, losing to Turkey
Senegal erupted in celebration on Sunday night after its football 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 shoot-out that in an instant erased Senegal’s reputation as one of Africa’s underachieving footballing nations.
Thousands took to the streets. People waved flags from the sunroofs of speeding cars. Onlookers hugged and cried. Dozens ran onto a beach in a northern suburb, screaming to the night sky.
“Senegal has lost so many trophies in the final. This is a relief. Finally, we have it!” said Pape Malick Diba, a 31-year-old trader who danced with friends at a fan zone in Dakar where supporters struggled to see the screens through the crowds.
These were rare scenes of collective rapture 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.