Cairo, July 19, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Algeria won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the second time on Friday when a fortuitous second-minute goal gave them a 1-0 win over Senegal in the final.
Baghdad Bounedjah stunned Senegal with a shot which took a wicked deflection off a defender and looped over the bewildered goalkeeper Alfred Gomis and into the net.
Algeria sat back after that and the first half turned into a scrappy, bad-tempered affair as Senegal, who have never won the title, failed to threaten their defence.
Senegal were awarded a penalty for handball in the second half but the decision was revoked following a VAR review.
Ismaila Sarr missed Senegal’s best chance by volleying wide from inside the area.
Algeria last won the AFCON in 1990, beating Nigeria 1-0 to lift their first AFCON title.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria had earlier won the third place match on Wednesday, beating Tunisia to pick the bronze medal. (Reuters/NAN)
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Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola
Senegal
Cairo, July 10, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Senegal’s Idrissa Gana Gueye scored 20 minutes from time for a 1-0 win over Benin Republic to take them through as expected to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-finals.
However, in spite of Benin finishing with 10 men, they still managed to make it a largely laboured affair for Senegal.
Gana Gueye’s goal was one of the few highlights at Cairo’s 30 June Stadium with the midfielder setting up the move and then finishing much to the relief of Africa’s top-ranked team.
He had possession just outside the centre circle, passed the ball directly forward to Sadio Mane.
Then, he sprinted upfield to virtually steal the ball off his team mate and tuck away a neat finish.
Senegal must now wait until Thursday to find out whether they meet either Madagascar or Tunisia in Sunday’s semi-final.
Gana Gueye might have had a second goal some eight minutes from time with a similar surging run through the midfield.
But he was pulled back on the edge of the Benin penalty area by defender Olivier Verdon who was promptly sent off.
Senegal created the better chances in the contest but those expecting a dominant showing against a team 66 places below them in the FIFA world rankings were left disappointed.
A combination of spirited defending from Benin and unusually tepid attacking from Senegal kept the game goalless until the 70th minute breakthrough.
Mane had the ball in the net twice but was offside on both occasions, verified by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
The technology was being used in the tournament for the first time from the quarter-final stage.
The Liverpool FC forward also had an effort cleared off the line three minutes after Gana Gueye’s goal.
There were several goalmouth scrambles that provided Benin with nervy moments but Senegal were unable to find the net.
Timely tackles from Verdon and defensive partner Moise Adilehou kept the Senegal attack at bay and the underdogs in the contest.
Benin had a couple of chances, both falling to 34-year-old striker Mickael Pote, who was narrowly wide with a cheeky backheel in the 26th minute.
He should have scored straight after halftime but hit a tame effort straight at goalkeeper Alfred Gomis.
But there was to be no repeat for the small west African country of their heroics in the previous round when they eliminated Morocco in a penalty shootout.
Senegal will feature in the semi-finals for a fourth time but on the first occasion since 2006.
Their best Cup of Nations achievement was finishing runners-up in 2002.(Reuters/NAN)
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AFCON
Cairo, June 23, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Senegal made light of the absence of suspended forward Sadio Mane to dispatch Tanzania with a convincing 2-0 win in their opening Africa Cup of Nations match on Sunday.
Keita Balde put them ahead in the first half and Krepin Diatta rifled a shot through a crowd of players for the second just after the hou.
The second goal was a confirmation of Senegal’s dominance in the Group C match.
Seen as one of the teams most likely to challenge hosts and favourites Egypt for the title, Senegal were too strong and fast for Tanzania.
The Taifa Stars were making their first appearance at the finals since 1980 and they did look rusty.
Senegal could easily have won by more goals if their finishing had been more accurate, with forward Mbaye Niang the main culprit.
Algeria were facing Kenya in Group C later on Sunday.
The match was played in front of another sparse crowd, an unfortunate feature of the tournament in matches not involving the host nation.
Liverpool forward Mane was suspended for an accumulation of yellow cards during the qualifiers but it hardly mattered.
Niang should have put Senegal ahead in the sixth minute when he was sent clear but his shot hit the side-netting.
Kalidou Koulibaly headed over from a corner kick before Senegal broke the deadlock in the 28th minute.
A neat exchange of passes ended with Idrissa Gueye finding Keita.
He scored with a low shot which slipped through the hands of Tanzania goalkeeper Aishi Manula at the near post.
Papa Ndiaye fired over with an acrobatic effort and then Niang missed another good chance when he curled a shot wide after being gifted the ball by the Tanzania defence.
Tanzania’s passing was sloppy and they struggled to put enough attacking moves together.
Senegal continued to pour forward after half-time with Balde in the thick of things.
The Inter Milan player had a header tipped over by Manula and then scuffed his effort from close range after another flowing move left him unmarked.
Senegal finally added a second in the 64th minute when a Tanzania clearance landed at the feet of Diatta.
He struck a ferocious half-volley that flew into the net from the edge of the area.(Reuters/NAN)
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Comeback
By Victor Okoye
Abuja, June 9, 2019 (NAN) Senegal, Africa’s remaining representative at the ongoing FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Poland, were on Saturday knocked out of the competition.
That was after Korea Republic completed a thrilling 2-2 comeback to send the game to extra time.
The engrossing quarter-final encounter which finished 3-3 at the end of extra time saw the Korea Republic defeat Senegal 3-2 on penalty kicks.
The win over the west Africans who eliminated Nigeria’s Flying Eagles 2-1 in the second round sent the Asians through to the Poland 2019 semi-finals.
Senegal were the more active attackers in the first half at the Bielsko-Biala Stadium and broke through in the 37th minute.
Ibrahima Niane’s cushioned header from the goal line set up captain Cavin Diagne for an uncontested finish from eight yards.
They held their lead until the 62nd minute.
Korea Republic earned a penalty kick after Lee Jisol was pushed in the back inside the penalty area, and Lee Kangin up stepped to equalise coolly from the spot.
Seven minutes later, Senegal returned the favour after Lee Jaeik was ruled to have handled the ball in the box by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
Lee Gwangyeon saved Niane’s initial penalty kick attempt, but was shown a yellow card for coming off his line too
soon, and Niane made no mistake with his second try.
Korea Republic desperately searched for the equaliser and found it at the last moment through Jisol’s glancing header at the near post eight minutes into stoppage time.
Bursting with confidence heading into extra time, the Taeguk Warriors seized control when Kangin played Cho Youngwook through with an expertly-weighted pass in the 96th minute.
Youngwook slotted the ball into the net to give Korea Republic the lead for the first time in the match.
Senegal refused to let up though, and were rewarded in the closing seconds of extra time.
Amadou Ciss picked out the bottom corner of the goal from the top of the box to send the game to penalty kicks.
Emblematic of the day’s performance, Korea Republic fell behind by missing their first two penalty kicks but battled back to advance to the semi-finals.
This was after Oh Sehun converted his side’s final attempt while Diagne’s effort for Senegal went over the crossbar.
Korea Republic will on Tuesday face Ecuador which had earlier on Saturday defeated the U.S. 2-1 to reach their first-ever semi-finals at a FIFA Under-20 World Cup.(NAN)
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Champions
By Victor Okoye
Abuja, Feb. 17, 2019 (NAN) Mali on Sunday defeated Senegal 3-2 on penalty kicks to claim their maiden Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title following a 1-1 stalemate at extra time in Niamey.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the match played at the Stade General Seyni Kountche saw the Malians opening scoring in the 15th minute,
This was after Boubacar Traore hammered home Hadji Drame’s delivery for Senegal to find themselves behind for the first time in the tournament.
Senegal replied 17 minutes from normal time through FC Metz’s Amadou Ndiaye who volleyed in the equaliser from close range to force the match to extra time and then penalty kicks.
Ndiaye, the tournament’s leading goalscorer, then missed his kick before teammate Ousseynou Niang also missed to hand Mali the advantage.
The young Malians held their nerves in the pulsating shootout to hand Senegal their third successive defeat in the final.
They converted their three consecutive penalty kicks through Traore, Lassana Ndiaye and Abdoulaye Diaby.
NAN also reports that Senegal’s Ndiaye was handed the highest goal scorer award, while the Most Valuable Player award went to his compatriot Moussa Ndiaye.
Senegal also won the Fair Play Award of the tournament.
The biennial continental youth football tournament, organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) was in its 15th edition.
It is for players aged 20 and below, and the 2019 edition had kicked off on Feb. 2.(NAN)
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Front row from left: President Roch Kaboré of Burkina Faso; President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana; President Alpha Condé of Guinea; President Faure Gnassingbé of Togo; Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria; President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claud Kassi Brou; President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire; President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger Republic; President Julius Bio of Sierra Leone; and Former Nigerian Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, at the 54th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, in Abuja on Saturday (22/12/18). 06878/22/12/2018/Anthony Alabi/BJO/NAN
Elections
By Temitope Ponle
Abuja, Dec. 23, 2018 (NAN) The ECOWAS Heads of State and Government have charged Nigeria and Senegal to leave no stone unturned in ensuring the conduct of elections are peaceful, free and transparent.
The leaders, who gave the charge in a final communiqué issued at the just concluded 54th Ordinary Session in Abuja on Sunday, directed the ECOWAS commission to provide the necessary support to the two countries.
“The Authority notes with satisfaction, the status of preparation for the general elections in Nigeria on Feb. 16, 2019 and presidential election in Senegal on Feb. 24, 2019 and urges the government and relevant electoral bodies to leave no stone unturned in ensuring the elections are peaceful, free and transparent.”
They also lauded the smooth conduct of the presidential elections in Mali and congratulated President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on his re-election.
They instructed the commission to take measures to support the democratic process and implement the Agreement and the roadmap of March 22.
On the political situation in Togo, the leaders commended the endeavors of President Nana Akuffo-Addo of Ghana, President Alpha Conde of Republic of Guinea and ECOWAS facilitators in the resolution of the crisis.
They noted the readiness of the Togolese Government to organise local elections in 2019 and encouraged the active involvement of all stakeholders for a peaceful process.
The Heads of State encouraged the Togolese Government to intensify the peace and confidence-building measures between all political stakeholders to further ease the socio-political situation.
They also urged security forces to demonstrate professionalism in their mission of maintaining order and ensuring the security of people.
On The Gambia, the Authority lauded the positive developments in the political and security situation and further took note of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission.
They also called on the country to swiftly implement the security sector reform programme.
On Guinea Bissau, the Heads of State expressed concern on the continued delay in the conduct of parliamentary elections, taking note of the challenges involved.
They further encouraged stakeholders to work towards the conduct of the forthcoming parliamentary elections on March 10, 2019 and also urged the commission to intensify technical support for smooth electoral process.
“The Authority mandates the Chairman to impose sanctions on the basis of proposals for the President of the commission, against stakeholders who obstruct the smooth conduct of the electoral process,” they directed.
The leaders also reaffirmed the importance of peace, security and stability in ECOWAS for the economic development of the region.
They also reiterated their condemnation of terrorist attacks and expressed solidarity with the affected countries.
They lauded the cooperation among certain member states intending to effectively combat the scourge of terrorism and instructed the commission to support and extend cooperation to the states.
The Heads of State also urged member states to expediate the simplification of information and intelligence sharing mechanisms and the harmonisation of their legal systems to respond to terrorist attacks.
The 54th Ordinary Session of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government had in attendance nine presidents while five were represented.
They are presidents Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, Roch Kabore of Burkina Faso, Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire, Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, Alpha Conde of Guinea, José Mário Vaz of Guinea Bissau, Issoufou Mahamadou of Niger, Julius Madaa Bio of Sierra Leone and Faure Gnassingbe of Togo.
Senegal was represented by its Prime Minister, Mahammed Dionne, while The Gambia, Mali and Liberia were represented by their foreign ministers.
Benin was represented by its ambassador to Nigeria while Cape Verde was not present at the meeting. (NAN)
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Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama (L) with Senegalese Minister of Petroleum and Energy during Onyeama working visit to Senegal
Senegal seeks Nigeria’s assistance to develop petroleum sector
By Isaac Aregbesola
Assistance
Dakar, Nov. 25, 2018 (NAN) The Senegalese Petroleum and Energy Minister, Mr Mansour Kane, has sought for the assistance of Nigeria in developing his country’s energy sector, specifically petroleum.
Kane made this appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dakar, after a closed door meeting with the Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Geoffrey Onyeama, who was on a working visit to Senegal.
“I am glad to have my brother the Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, to pay a visit to the Ministry of Petroleum, Senegal.
“As you know we just discovered a lot of oil and gas and we would want to take advantage of experience of Nigeria.
“I think we have to work with our counterpart in Nigeria so also with the Ministry of foreign Affairs to learn how to avoid some mistake,” he said.
NAN reports that for decades, Senegal was an afterthought for oil and gas explorers, caught in a no-man’s land between prolific hydrocarbon provinces in north and west Africa.
That changed in 2014, when Cairn Energy of the UK took a gamble on the country and came up with the biggest offshore oil discovery anywhere in the world that year.
Further successes followed from Cairn and Kosmos Energy, the Texas-based company which has found the largest offshore gas deposits in west Africa in waters straddling Senegal and neighbouring Mauritania.
These companies and their partners are now gearing up to develop the resources, promising to place Senegal firmly on the map of large African oil and gas producers.
Kane said Senegal would want to follow Ecuador Guinea’s step that came to learn from Nigeria when they discovered their oil and gas and now a big time player in the sector in Africa.
“What we want to do is to learn from our brother Nigeria, at the state level and also at the private sector level, local content is very important.
“We know that there are some Nigerian companies already that have experience and will want to have joint venture with us, to work with Senegalese companies to help us to develop the sector,” he said.
He said that the country would send a delegation to visit Nigeria immediately after the election.
Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama in a handshake with the President of Senegal Macky Sall during Onyeama working visit to Senegal.
Onyeama in his remarks expressed the readiness of Nigeria to assist Senegal to develop her petroleum sector.
“Nigeria has a lot of experience in the sector to share with Senegal.
“And first thing I will do when I get back to Nigeria is to get in touch with the petroleum Minister of state for the two of them to work together.
“And of course at the larger framework of Senegal-Nigeria cooperation, we have joint commission which we hope to revitalise.
“So petroleum will be part of that commission, there will be this constant bilateral cooperation of different sectors,” he said.
He however cautioned that Petroleum could be a blessing and at the same time a curse to nations.
Onyeama stressed that it was necessary for Senegal to put in place from the very beginning the strategies that that would make it a blessing and not a curse. (NAN)
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Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola
From Right President of Senegal Macky Sall, Nigerian Ambassador to Senegal Salisu Umaru; and Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama during the minister’s working visit to Senegal
Nigeria, Senegal to strengthen relations in trade, energy, security, others
By Isaac Aregbessola
Relationship
Dakar, Nov. 25, 2018 (NAN) Nigeria and Senegal have agreed to strengthen their bilateral relation in the areas of economic, trade and industry tourism, security, defence, energy, agriculture and education, among others, Senegalese Foreign Minister, Sidiki Kaba said.
Kaba said this in Dakar after a meeting with his Nigerian counterpart, Geoffrey Onyeama, who was on a working visit to Senegal to enhance the two countries bilateral relations.
While expressing concern on the inability of the two countries joint commission to meet in the last 20 years, he stressed the need to build on the existing relations between them.
“We have identified very strategic and important sectors of cooperation on which we would like to focus on.
“We emphasise on petroleum sector, security, tourism, banking, agriculture, industry, trade and investment, justice and education, to say a few.
“I will like to seize this opportunity to state my readiness to work with you to strengthen the relation between Senegal and Nigeria,” he said.
Kaba noted “the inadequacy and obsolescence” of the legal framework for cooperation between Dakar and Abuja, which has only five agreements.
“I am convinced that our two countries must and can do more, We need to work now to reverse this trend,” he said.
He called for the involvement of the private sectors of both countries in order to “pull” the Dakar-Abuja axis to a level of strategic cooperation.
Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama with his Senegalese counterpart, Sidiki Kaba during Onyeama’s working visit to Senegal
Onyeama said that his visit to Dakar was to develop a “roadmap and strategy” to strengthen cooperation among ECOWAS member countries.
“The bilateral relations between our two countries are good, strong and solid as you have correctly stated there is a lot more that we can do and we should be doing.
“The purpose of this visit is partly to reignite that relationship, we have a joint commission that have met only twice close to 20 years ago.
“We have a great opportunity and we would work together to reignite the joint commission and use that as a frame work to form stronger links and cooperation between our two countries.
“As you have identified there are many areas in which we can cooperate, in the field of textile we share a common dress sense in our `booboo’, our `agbada’ and so forth,” the minister said.
According to him, there are lot to undertake in the field of commerce which include small and medium enterprises, cooperation in the fields of petroleum, fishery, agriculture and industry, among others.
“The field is large we really can and we should do a lot more, there are so many other areas including diplomacy and sports in which our two countries excel.
”We are determined to have a strong framework in which we can develop strong relations and full potentials of our people, and we are determine to achieve this together,” he said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama (R) with his Senegalese counterpart Sidiki Kaba during Onyeama working visit to Senegal
Onyeama noted that the two countries which also cooperate in the framework of ECOWAS, sub-regional cooperation, also share a common vision of greater integration.
He said that two countries should not allow artificial boundary to be a barrier in promoting integration between them.
“Our relation and ECOWAS is an initiative to promote integration among ourselves, integration that has always been there before the period of colonialism.
“We are working very closely together in the framework of ECOWAS to promote and achieve that integration, single monetary union, economic integration, ultimately political integration, building the infrastructures, road.
“Also in putting off the obstacles and hurdles to free movement of our people among ourselves and the right of doing business in the sub-region,” he said.
He commended the country efforts in assisting Nigeria to fight Boko Haram.
“We appreciate very much the positive roles our countries are playing in the region to promote democracy and good governance and to fight terrorism.
“We appreciate very much the support of your country in our fight against Boko Haram,” he said. (NAN)
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Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola
Brussels, June 20, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) Dozens of football fans scuffled and threw chairs after a live screening at a Belgian outdoor cafe of Poland’s 2-1 upset defeat by Senegal on Tuesday at the World Cup in Russia.
A police spokesman told Reuters on Wednesday that one person was hurt in the incident in the port city of Antwerp but no arrests were made.
Local newspaper Gazet van Antwerpen quoted police as saying some 40-50 people were involved.
Bar manager Johan Peeraer told the paper about 100 Poles and 30 Senegalese supporters were watching the game when things got tense towards the end.
“A bit of an argument started outside and it got out of hand and people started throwing chairs,” he said.
Disturbances around the four-yearly global football festival has been rare, a week into the month-long tournament. (Reuters/NAN)
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(Edited by Joseph Edeh/Peter Ejiofor)
Moscow, June 17, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) Senegal defender, Saliou Ciss, has been ruled out of the World Cup in Russia and will be replaced by Adama Mbengue, the Senegal Football Federation said on Sunday.
The left back, who plays club football at Valenciennes in France’s Ligue 2, suffered an ankle injury in last month’s friendly against Luxembourg.
His departure comes two days after his 29th birthday.
Mbengue, 24, arrived on Sunday, having been on standby over the last weeks. He is from Ligue 1 club, Caen.
Senegal’s change came a day before the deadline for final injury replacements. World Cup participants can only swap injured players up to 24 hours before their first game at the tournament.
Senegal will take on Poland in their opening Group H game in Moscow on Tuesday. (Reuters/NAN)
