The rivalry between Egypt and Senegal continues to play out even when the two teams do not meet. Eliminated, the “Lions of Teranga” did not escape the taunts of Egyptians.
The defending champions of the Africa Cup of Nations faltered. Senegal lost its crown this Monday night in Yamoussoukro. Aliou Cissé’s players fell to an Ivorian team emerging from the depths after its miraculous qualification. Yesterday, they still delivered a fine performance.
Senegal caught up in the curse of champions
Since 2010, no reigning champion has managed to qualify for the quarter-finals of the competition, leading to a series of disappointments. Indeed, Egypt, champion in 2010, was unable to qualify for the subsequent editions, marking the beginning of this unfortunate series. Subsequent champions, such as Zambia in 2012, Nigeria in 2015, or Ivory Coast in 2017, also failed to qualify or stand out in the following tournaments.
This year, Senegal, considered a favorite, was eliminated by Ivory Coast, despite an impressive run in the group stage. This defeat raises the question of whether the curse of champions will continue until a winner breaks the cycle. Previous editions have shown that even the most talented teams can fall victim to this trend, as seen with Algeria in 2022.
Thus, the outcome of this competition remains uncertain as to whether a champion will finally manage to escape this dire fate. Once untouchable, Egypt has been experiencing difficult times in the Africa Cup for several years. This AFCON 2023 was also not a success, but the Pharaohs found comfort among the Senegalese…
Egyptian fans savor Senegal’s elimination
Comfort in Senegal’s elimination, that’s undoubtedly the takeaway from Egyptian reactions. The Egyptian page FilGoal posted an image of Senegal’s defeat on Facebook, sparking a wave of comments, trolling Senegal.
Mahmoud Gouda wrote first, “There’s nothing more dangerous than a man who has come back from death,” alluding to Ivory Coast’s last-minute qualification. Abdo Eltorke, another Egyptian fan, is pleased to see Senegal exit. Worse, he also wishes to see Morocco fall. “Alhamdulillah, Senegal is out, inshallah Morocco will lose and give up the trophy too. I don’t care about my success, I care about others’ failure,” he comments.
Zeinab Gamal, on the other hand, lets loose with these words: “Officially, the match between Egypt and Senegal will be replayed at the airport.” Mohamed Al Neny, for his part, feels “great joy” and also wants “Morocco out of the tournament.” Yasser Ramzy Auda, another Egyptian supporter, is more measured in celebrating Senegal’s failure. “I’m happy, with all respect and love for Senegal and Sadio Mané, of course,” he writes. Mohammed Mekabel, however, doesn’t hold back. “It’s a shame Senegal lost on penalties, I would have liked them to lose 4-0,” he comments.
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