Senegal on Saturday paraded the Africa Cup of Nations trophy they have been ordered to return before beating Peru 2-0 in a friendly at the Stade de France in Paris.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on March 17 reversed Senegal’s 1-0 final victory over Morocco in Rabat on January 18 and awarded a 3-0 victory to the hosts.
On Saturday, in front of a crowd dominated by their supporters, Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly and his teammates came onto the pitch with the AFCON trophy for a lap of honour after a pre-match concert by Senegalese superstar Youssou N’Dour.
Koulibaly and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy went up to the stadium’s presidential box to place the trophy there in front of Abdoulaye Fall, the president of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF), among others.
Senegal played in shirts with two stars: one for their first African title in 2021 and the second one for their disputed January victory.
While the squad was almost identical to the one that played in Morocco, Senegal rested Koulibaly, Mendy, Sadio Mane and Iliman Ndiaye, who were not even on the bench.
They still outplayed a modest Peru team. Nicolas Jackson scored in the first half and Ismaila Sarr in the second.
In January, the AFCON final descended into chaos when Senegal players walked off in protest after the hosts were awarded a penalty late in second-half stoppage time.
The players were coaxed back onto the pitch by captain Mane. After Morocco’s Brahim Diaz missed the penalty, Pape Gueye scored in extra time to gave Senegal a 1-0 victory.
CAF ruled that Senegal’s players had broken the rules by leaving the field without the referee’s permission.
The FSF lodged an appeal against the CAF decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Wednesday and has not given up on keeping the title.
Before the game, nearly 200 Senegal supporters gathered in front of the nearby Basilica of Saint-Denis before making their way to the Stade de France to the sound of traditional drums and percussion.
Bally Bagayoko, the new-elected mayor of Saint-Denis, briefly joined the procession.
“Welcome to Saint-Denis,” said the mayor. “I wanted to thank everyone who organised this wonderful initiative.
“You are the pride of the residents of working-class neighbourhoods. We have often been discriminated against, often looked down upon.
“You are showing that you are capable, at such an important moment, of coming together. Today, Africa is united. Everyone behind Senegal.”
The friendly against Peru was the Lions of Teranga’s first match since the Rabat final.
They are preparing for the World Cup where they are in a strong group with France, Norway and either Iraq or Peru’s neighbours Bolivia.
Peru finished ninth in the ten-team South American group and did not qualify for the summer’s finals in Mexico, Canada and the United States.
In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.
The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.
Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for
only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!
