Despite the elimination of the Senegal national football team, the “Téranga Lions,” from the 2014 World Cup, the Senegalese daily newspapers universally praised the team’s impressive performance and fighting spirit in their match against Ivory Coast. Here is a summary of the key points mentioned by various newspapers:
- Stades: The newspaper highlighted the disciplined and determined performance of the Lions, describing their engagement in a real fight for possession. They emphasized that the Lions, with a roaring presence, put fear into the Ivorian camp for 90 minutes.
- Waa Sports: The columnist noted that the Lions, despite being eliminated, stood tall, and Sabri Lamouchi acknowledged the difficulty of the match. Ivorian striker Kalou admitted being surprised by the Senegalese team, and the Nantes defender Papy Djilabodji expressed the need for Senegal to maintain such a level.
- Observer: While acknowledging that the miracle did not take place, the Observer praised the Lions for flirting with qualification and overpowering the Elephants. Players like Yaya Touré, Drogba, and Gervinho were said to be overwhelmed by the Lions’ performance.
- Popular: The newspaper highlighted that the Lions came close to a feat, quoting Ivorian players who confirmed they had never suffered so much. Despite their impressive performance, the Lions returned without their draw bonus. The Senegalese Minister of Sports and President Macky Sall praised the team, with Sall describing their effort as heroic.
- L’Enquête: The paper mentioned regrets after the determined performance, hinting that the defeat in the first leg affected the return match. The suggestion was that there was room for the Lions to secure qualification.
- The Sun, Liberation, Truth of the Day, Direct News: Various other newspapers in Dakar welcomed the Lions’ excellent match, calling on the team to build a solid and determined group, similar to the current Ivory Coast team.
In summary, the Senegalese media praised the Lions for their fighting spirit, determination, and overall performance, even though they narrowly missed out on World Cup qualification. The sentiment was positive, with an emphasis on building and maintaining such a strong team for the future.
