Al-Ahram Weekly | Sports

		27 June - 3 July 2002 Issue No. 592 Sports	Current issue Previous issue Site map
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875		Recommend this page

Lion pride
Senegal could not make it to the semi-finals but left the World Cup with heads held high

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Senegal's El Hadji Diouf, Africa's best footballer, is upended against Turkey
From day one, Senegal turned the World Cup upside down. After the rookie defeated defending champion France in the opener, things just got better -- until Saturday.
Worn down by a tireless Turkey, the weary Dakar Lions finally went down to a golden goal in extra time and were unable to set up the semi-final with Brazil they so badly craved.
But in the end there were no regrets. "We came here small, we left big," said El Hadji Diouf, Africa's Player of the Year.
"To get here was already so great," said right back Ferdinand Coly.
The Lions proved no one is too tender to aspire to the highest goals at the World Cup, and they did so playing open, attacking soccer with a flair for the unexpected, conjuring up memories of the greatest African teams over the past dozen years.
"Just look what they achieved," coach Bruno Metsu said of his players. "Many saw a great team. I hope it will add to the development of African soccer."
At this World Cup, the four other African nations, including hotly tipped Cameroon and Nigeria, were eliminated early, forcing the first- timers to carry the continent's flag into the second round.
It did not disappoint. But it did run out of steam.
Metsu had first seen a worrying tiredness in his players a few days before the quarter-final. He cancelled some training sessions but it didn't help. The sparkle and fizz which made Senegal so pleasing to watch over the past month was off against Turkey.
Yet from the dugout to the forward line, Senegal gave the tournament some of the most colourful personalities. Metsu came from the depth of French domestic soccer to take a collection of little-known journeymen and turn them into a football force.
Giving his players free rein on what they could do with their days --and nights -- outside of training defied conventional soccer management, but it worked for the Senegalese, who call their coach "our brother".
Diouf thrived in this happy culture, and once he bamboozled the aging French defence into committing serious errors during Senegal's 1-0 win, the 21-year-old had found his groove.
And so did just about everyone else on the Senegalese team. When they needed goals against Sweden, Henri Camara stepped up, ridiculing scouts who had left him lingering in France's Sedan Speed. His eye for goal made the difference in a 2-1 second round match.
Coming mostly from French no-glamour clubs, they were first considered France's second-string team, but soon they proved they were second to very few teams.
Thriving on Senegalese food cooked by two fans, the defence was strong and imposing throughout, and when players were either suspended or injured, others stepped in to harness the back line.
In midfield, Salif Diao was a giant in the first two games, one of several players who is expected to ride the World Cup success from French league teams to more glamorous clubs around Europe. Liverpool has already snapped up Diouf and Diao.
And whenever Senegal came up short, luck stepped in to help. Early on in the opener, France's David Trezeguet rifled a shot against the post, a turning point in that match. Needing a draw against Uruguay, refereeing seemed to go the way of the Dakar Lions as they held on to an unlikely 3-3 draw.
Sweden fired a shot against the post in golden goal injury time moments before Camara drove Senegal into the quarter-final. It equalled Cameroon's finish of 1990 and ensured that African football would retain its place in the annals of the World Cup for another four years.
"We have proven we are at the world level," Metsu said. "I'm very proud the team was able to upset the world hierarchy."
Senegalese soccer fans took their country's loss to Turkey in stride, saying they were proud their team made it as far as it did.
Some 300 die-hard fans turned up at the presidential palace sporting the requisite national colours of red, green and yellow.
"We're proud of our country," said one fan, Demba Fall. "It's the first time we've made it into the World Cup. We deserve some credit."
Others expressed disappointment, but said losing was part of the game. "There has to be a winner and a loser, that's the law of the sport," said Birima Diop.
The government said it would celebrate the team's return. "We're going to celebrate by organising a huge parade," said Youth Minister Modou Diagne Fada. "We're happy with their performance. It was worthy of Africa."
Billboards around Dakar this week linked the West African nation's performance to those of the continent. "Senegal wins for Africa," said one billboard picturing the team mascot -- a lion -- painted in green and red.
Senegalese supporters in Dakar held out hopes for next time. "It's wonderful even if we had to leave this way. The next time we'll just have to try to do better," said another fan, Boubacar Ngom.

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