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Champions in three different continental competitions and a World Cup round of 16 appearance, it has been a good year of football for Senegal
The last 365 days of football in Senegal have been marked by resounding success, and there was one more to celebrate as the Teranga Lions defeated hosts Algeria 5-4 on penalties after a goalless regulation time to lift their first African Nations Championship title.
Senegalese goalkeeper, Pape Sy was the hero, making crucial saves during normal time, extra time and the penalty shootout as Senegal triumphed over the Desert Warriors at the Nelson Mandela stadium in Algiers.
After both teams spurned chances to score in 120 minutes, the final went down to penalties, where Sy saved from Algeria’s Aimen Mahious and Ahmed Kendouci smacked the deciding kick against the crossbar to give Senegal their first African Nations Championship exactly a year to the day that they won their first Africa Cup of Nations title.
How it happened
Hosts Algeria were looking to continue where Morocco left off by winning a third consecutive North African African Nations Championship. They were buoyed by the form of forward Mahious who had already scored five times in the competition before the final, and looked to be favourites after a dominant semifinal performance that saw them hammer Niger 5-0.
Senegal were the clear underdogs but did not let that get to them in the early stages of the tie as they took the game to the Algerians, hoping to get an early goal that they could defend for the rest of the match, but the goal did not come and Algeria, playing in front of their teeming supporters, soon gained control of the encounter.
After a first half that saw Senegal dominate but fail to find any clear openings, Algeria came closest to scoring late in the second half when Mahious’ audacious backheel was blocked by Senegal’s Ousmane Diouf.
Algeria finished the second half with 55% possession and five shots inside the box and they continued into extra time urged on by their fans to find a winner before the end of 120 minutes.
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Try as they might, they were unable to find a goal, and their best chance saw Houssem Eddine Mrezigue’s header from point-blank range comfortably saved by Sy.
The penalty shootout was marked by drama, starting from the very first set of kicks. After Senegal had converted their first kick through El Hadji Balde, Algeria missed theirs as Akram Djahnit, who was brought on just for the shootout, saw his effort saved by Sy.
However, Gabonese referee Pierre Ghislain Atcho asked for the kick to be retaken as Sy had stepped off his line.
Djahnit, given a second opportunity from the spot, sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to level the game for Algeria.
Senegal were the first to register a miss in the shootout as Cheikhou Ndiaye’s penalty came back off the post in the fourth round of kicks, but his blushes were saved in the next round by his goalkeeper.
With the deafening crowd in the stadium willing them on, Algeria had the chance to win the African Nations Championship with one swing of the boot from the spot and sent top scorer Mahious, who had already scored two penalties in the tournament, to wrap up the win, but he was denied by Sy, who this time was legally stationed.
Algeria saw their potential joy turn to ashes in the next round of kicks, as after Senegal had already scored, Ahmed Kendouci saw his powerfully struck penalty come back off the crossbar to give the Teranga Lions victory in sudden death.
Senegal revels in footballing excellence
Senegal’s victory at the African Nations Championships brings a year of footballing dominance, especially on the African continent, to a perfect conclusion.
Exactly one year after claiming victory at AFCON, they have done the same at CHAN, and have more accolades in between.
The Teranga Lion also qualified for the 2022 World Cup, becoming the first African team to both win a game and qualify from their group in Qatar, and also claimed victory in the CAF Beach Soccer Championship for good measure.
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