In the aftermath of the first leg of the last round of qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup, the Senegalese press reflects a mixture of disappointment, critique, and a call for resilience from the national football team, the Lions.
According to sports daily “ALL LE SPORT,” there was no match, and the Lions made mistakes, highlighting tactical shortcomings and the underperformance of key players like Papiss Cissé and Mohamed Diamé.
“TLS” criticized Senegal’s performance, exposing individual and tactical deficiencies, expressing little confidence in the team’s chances in the return match. Coach Alain Giresse urged belief despite the challenges.
“STADES” analyzed the reasons for the Lions’ struggle and emphasized the need to overcome a two-goal deficit against the experienced Ivory Coast team.
“Moussa Sow, according to STADIUMS, suggested that the world has not yet taken off, questioning Giresse’s choice of training location in Paris instead of Dakar.
“WAA SPORT” labeled the match in Abidjan as a horror film for the Lions, emphasizing Ivorian superiority and pointing out deficiencies in audacity, tactics, player selection, and the opponent’s performance.
“DIRECT INFO” described it as a collective shipwreck with an unrecognizable team, while “Le SOLEIL DES SPORTS” noted a story repeating itself from a year ago, urging players to prove their high level.
“THE OBSERVER” straightforwardly stated that the Lions were flattened by the Elephants.
“TRIBUNE DES SPORTS” added a mystical perspective, citing a marabout who claimed that the Lions were mystically neutralized, yet there is hope for a reversal with mystical support for the Elephants.
In summary, the Senegalese press reflects a critical assessment of the team’s performance but also emphasizes the need for belief, resilience, and a strong comeback in the return match.
