Senegal Left Heartbroken After Last-Minute Defeat in Monastir
In a heartbreaking twist, Senegal fell 1-0 to Tunisia in Monastir in the closing seconds of a tense CAN 2015 qualifier. Despite dominating much of the game, Alain Giresse’s men were dealt a cruel blow as Ferjani Sassi struck in the 90+4th minute, capitalizing on a rare lapse in Senegal’s otherwise solid defense.
It was a match where the Lions of Teranga created the better chances and held territorial superiority, but came up short against an organized and resilient Tunisian side backed by a superb performance from goalkeeper Aymen Balboubli, who pulled off multiple key saves to keep his side in the game.
Post-Match Reactions Reflect the Pain:
Alfred Ndiaye, Senegal midfielder:
“We did what we had to do, but we conceded a goal in the last seconds. We are disappointed and sad at the same time, but nothing is lost yet. We have to focus on the next two matches.”
Pape Kouli Diop showed belief despite the loss:
“I think we deserved to win because we played well. We lost by the skin of our teeth and that’s how sport works… The team is aware of what’s at stake and will do everything it can to qualify.”
Kara Mbodj, defender, expressed raw emotion:
“We’ll be thinking about this match all night… We didn’t deserve to lose. The damage is done, and we have to focus on the next matches.”
Qualification Still Within Reach
While the result is undoubtedly a psychological blow, Senegal’s fate remains in their hands with two matches left to play — one of them at home. The team will now regroup and look to bounce back strongly in the next round of qualifiers.
One thing is certain: Senegal’s fighting spirit isn’t broken, and the road to Morocco 2015 is still very much open.
