By Victor Kanayo
Senegal have now stretched it’s obvious dominance in African football after beating host Algeria in the final to ultimately win the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in a spectacular manner.
Senegal didn’t just become the first West African team to win the tournament after earlier final failures by Ghana in 2009 and 2014, Nigeria in 2018 and Mali in 2016 and 2020, they are the current Africa Cup of Nations and CHAN holders, a first time that is happening.
They are also beach soccer Champions within the same period.
Meaning, the local-based team triumphed a year after the full Senegal team, including stars like Sadio Mane, beat Egypt on penalties to win the premier competition, the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Local Teranga Lions edged hosts in a very tense final at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers in front of 39,120 spectators on a cold winter night.
Pape Thiaw’s outfit will look back and be proud of their performance on the night that saw them complete the treble for the West African nation in one year.
On the other hand, Golden Boot winner Aymen Mahious had a chance to win a competition reserved for footballers playing in their country of birth when he stepped forward to take the 10th spot-kick.
But his attempt was weak and straight at goalkeeper Pape Sy, who saved comfortably, leaving the teams deadlocked at 4-4, and necessitating a sudden-death extension to the shootout.
Ousmane Diouf calmly converted to edge Senegal ahead amid whistling from many in a sell-out 39,120 crowd at the Stade Nelson Mandela in Algiers.
It was a joyous occasion for all of west Africa as teams from the region reached five of the other six Nations Championship finals and lost them all.
This was the second final to be decided by a shootout with Libya beating Ghana on penalties after a goalless 2014 title decider in Cape Town.
Morocco, the Democratic Republic of Congo (twice each), Libya and Tunisia won previous editions of the national team competition.
