A video of Senegal’s national team celebrating with their hands in their pockets has stirred controversy ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations 2025 semi-final against Egypt, prompting the ‘Lions of Teranga’ to reject claims of disrespect.
The Egyptian national team will face Senegal on Wednesday at the Ibn Batouta Stadium in Tangier, kicking off at 5:00 p.m. GMT.
The clip, which circulated widely on social media, was interpreted by some as a sign that Senegal expected an easy victory over Egypt, igniting debate ahead of one of the tournament’s most anticipated matches.
Senegal’s spokesperson Kara Thiam addressed the issue, saying, “What we see regarding the interpretation of this video is complete nonsense. This video has nothing to do with the Egyptian national team.”
He added, “Our players respect the Egyptian national team and do not have the time to mock them. Perhaps some tried to interpret the clip in their own way to create some pressure, but we respect the Egyptian team.”
CAF has appointed Gabonese referee Pierre Ocho to officiate the high-stakes clash. Ocho previously worked as part of the VAR team during Algeria’s quarter-final against Nigeria. He will be assisted by Marlaisia Bolas (first assistant), Dank Steven (second assistant), and Jean Jacques Nadala (fourth official).
The VAR panel includes Kenyan referee Peter Kamaku, assisted by Fiana Antonella from Eswatini, with Cameroonian Alves Hai serving as additional VAR assistant.
The Senegal-Egypt match is expected to be fiercely contested, with both teams seeking a place in the AFCON 2025 final. Despite the social media buzz, Senegal insists the video should not be overanalyzed and maintains that its players are fully focused on the game itself.
