DAKAR, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Under a fine, intermittent rain that swept across the capital, hundreds of Senegalese supporters gathered at the "Village de la CAN" on Friday to witness their national team secure a place in the Africa Cup of Nations semifinals.
The victory, a hard-fought 1-0 win over neighboring Mali in Tangier of Morocco, ignited scenes of joy at Dakar's Place de la Nation, a designated fan zone where the atmosphere remained electric despite technical hurdles and the patchy weather.
The evening was a test of patience as much as passion. Technical glitches and recurring signal drops frequently left the two giant screens blank at crucial moments. When Elimane Ndiaye scored the opening goal in the 27th minute, the crowd at Place de la Nation was momentarily left in the dark.
The roar started not with an image, but with a sound. Small clusters of fans hunched over their smartphones, following live updates, and alerted the rest of the square. Within seconds, the space was filled with the blast of whistles, trumpets, and the glow of smoke flares.
"We felt the goal before we saw it," said one supporter, recounting the moment the smartphone signals reached the crowd before the giant screens recovered.
By the second half, the images returned, but the anxiety deepened. Among those standing with eyes fixed on the screen was a group of young schoolgirls in their uniforms, scarves in the national colors draped over their shoulders.
At the final whistle, they chanted words of gratitude. "We are the kings of the forest," shouted Seynabou Diop, the eldest of the group. "An eagle (Mali's national team nickname) cannot stop us. Our players delivered despite a strong performance from the Malian keeper."
Nearby, 50-year-old Moussa Diop, a former footballer, analyzed the victory with quiet confidence. "We haven't lost a match in 16 AFCON outings," he said, citing the statistics with precision. "This is a solid collective capable of pinning a second star to our jersey."
The victory also drew a response from Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who congratulated the "Lions" on social media, praising a performance that "confirms the strength of a collective built on hard work and constancy." He urged the team to maintain their "ambition and combativeness" as the nation looks ahead.
As night fell and traditional dance troupes took to the stage to keep the crowd entertained, the conversation among supporters like Mamadou Ndoye had already turned to the future.
For people gathered in Dakar, the mind is already set on the January 14 semifinal, where Senegal will face the winner of the Egypt-Cote d'Ivoire clash. The dream remains a repeat of the 2022 triumph, a second title for the Lions of Teranga. ■
