The worldwide media responded fervently to the exit of the Senegal national team from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations at the hands of the Ivorian host in a penalty shootout that concluded 4-5.
The defending champions were eliminated in the Round of 16 after a (1-1) draw in both regular and extra time.
Côte d’Ivoire’s unexpected victory over Senegal, who had dominated their group with 9 points, came as a surprise, securing their place among the top 4 teams after a hard-fought battle against the home team, which barely qualified as the third-placed team.
This marks the continuation of the curse for the reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions, with the last team to achieve back-to-back victories being the Egyptian national team in 2008 and 2010.
How Global Newspapers Commented on Senegal’s Exit from AFCON?
The Senegalese newspaper “Walf” described their national team’s exit from the African championship as a “fall from the summit” and noted that Coach Aliou Cissé’s squad joined “a long list of champions who faced bitter failure.”
Meanwhile, the Senegalese site “Pressafrik” stated that it was a “harsh end for the titleholder.”
The French network “France24” reported the match under the headline “Côte d’Ivoire Shocks Senegal in Penalty Shootout.”
The American site “The Athletic” remarked that the Ivorian team, as the tournament host, transitioned from despair to overpowering their opponent in one of the tournament’s significant surprises.
The Spanish newspaper “Marca” highlighted Côte d’Ivoire’s victory following the dismissal of head coach Jean-Louis Gasset, emphasizing the contribution of his assistant, Émerys Faye.
It’s worth noting that the Ivorian national team now awaits the winner between Mali and Burkina Faso, who face off in the quarterfinals today, Tuesday.
