Senegal’s President Macky Sall and coach Aliou Cisse hold the AFCON trophy during a ceremony after the national football team arrived at the airport in Dakar
“What a game. What a team. You did it. Beautiful moment of football, beautiful moment of communion and national pride, congratulations to our heroes”.
Macky Sall
President of the Republic of Senegal
SADIO MANE must have roared loudest when he scored the winning penalty for the Teranga Lions that gave Senegal a 4-2 win against Egypt in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations in Yaounde on Sunday.
And Senegal deserved it! And they did in style at Olembe Stadium at Yaounde in Cameroon, beating 7-time champions, Egypt to win the golden cup, for Egypt to take the silver.
Senegal had waited for almost 60 years for this occasion, and Coach Aliou Cisse deserves the kudos for an impressive outing. Senegal had lost two finals (2002, 2019), and in the game with Egypt Mane’s third-minute penalty miss was rued by Senegalese fans.
No wonder, the celebrations began immediately Mane’s last kick went home. The home fans were at the Dakar Airport to welcome the team. The President, Macky Sall was at the airport himself. 7th February was declared a public holiday.
The final itself was very dramatic. After a goalless full 90-minute draw, the two teams went into extra time. It was another grueling 30-minute debacle with the two goal keepers Edoud Mandy and Gabaski making dramatic saves. Egypt’s Salah had been tamed.
The penalty kicks, taken by tired legs, tired minds, and tired bodies saw the dexterity in the two goal-keepers, making dramatic saves. The hosts, Cameroon, had overturned a Burkina Faso 3-0 lead to win the subsequent penalty shoot out to win the bronze. Perhaps it was a face-saving venture that quietened Cameroonian fans.
It was a sad episode that saw 8 people lose their lives when Cameroon met Gabon in the group matches as a result of a stampede at the Yaounde stadium.
Ghana’s Black Stars had been sent back home humbled by soccer minnows, Comoros. Debutant Comoros had stood their ground and defied Black Stars’ four – time African championship history to pip the Stars 3-2. Up to the 60th minutes, the Comoros had led 2-0, and in 13 minutes the Black Stars had leveled up, 2-2. Captain Dede Ayew was shown the red card after clashing with the Comoros goalkeeper Salim Ben Boina and the Comoran team taught the Black Stars lessons on patriotism. Those interested in football history may recall the red card shown to Abedi Pele, Andre-Ayew’s father, who led the Black Stars to the final in the Stade d’ Amitie in Senegal in 1992, and Ghana lost to Cote d’lvoire who beat Ghana 11-10 on penalties, after a goal-less draw at full time
Black Stars Serbian coach, Milovan Rajevac, on being asked questions, twisted the answer by insisting that he was now concentrating on preparing the team for the World Cup. The players, with their tails between their legs arrived home crestfallen and the fans displayed insouciance. When the Ghanaian coach got sacked, no tears were shed for him. His lackadaisical approach had contributed to the failure of the Black Stars at Afcon 2021 to shine in Cameroon, eliminated at the group stage. The 68-year old Black Stars Coach had been selected as Ghana’s Coach in 2008 and he contributed to the Stars’ World Cup campaign in South Africa in which Uruguayan Suarez’s hand of God, and Asamoah Gyan’s penalty miss denied Ghana a move to the semi-finals. Almost the whole world was behind Ghana, then. After wanderings in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Algeria, Thailand (and a 2 – year lull) Milo was appointed by Ghana in September, 2021 to coach the Black Stars!
When Milo was appointed, the President of the Ghana Football Association, Kurt Edwin Simeon Okraku, said this of him: “We firmly believe that we have the right man in place, a coach who is very experienced, a coach who knows our country, a coach who knows our mentality which is very crucial and a coach who has the respect of our players….”
After the humiliating defeat by Comoros. Coach Milo remarked: “I will not resign because I am here to take Ghana to the World Cup. This competition did not go well but it is a learning process for us ….”
Ghanaians would remember Milo for being a bore on the sidelines. He had very little command of the English language and had to give instructions through an interpreter. We would also remember how he snubbed Ghana immediately after the South African World Cup show and took up an appointment the following day in Saudi Arabia.
There was an unholy “Milo must go “and “Milo must not go “argument after the Black Stars dismal showing in Cameroon. At long last, the “Milo must go” advocates won, and Milo got the sack which leaves Ghana in search of a new coach. We recall Kwesi Appiah’s ignominious sack. Very sad.
Rumours are rife that Chris Hughton is likely to be given the mantle – to be assisted by Otto Addo and Ibrahim Tanko. Chris – full Name: Christopher William Gerard Houghton is 63, and is in charge of Nottingham Forest. Born to a Ghanaian father, the former West Ham United manager, noted at a courtery call on the Gbese Mantse, Nii Ayi Bonte II, “It is a pleasure for me to meet you and I’ve heard so much about you and I know how much you enjoy football…. The reason in my being here is to see family: my father is from James Town…”
The Ga chief advised the coach: “I want to assure you that if you are appointed the next Black Stars head coach, you have a lot of work to do. You’ll get the support of Ghanaians when you win but not when you lose…”
Meanwhile, let us join Senegal to savour the sweetness of victory. The good Book tells us in Romans 12:15-18: “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible as much as Iieth in you, live peaceably with all men. If we mourn with Morocco over the loss of 5 year old Rayan Oram let us rejoice with Senegal for the African Cup. Viva O’ Senegal.
africanusowusu1234@gmail.com
From Africanus Owusu-Ansah