Sawt Falasteen - Senegal awaits return of 'heroic' AFCON champions

After a night of jubilation in Dakar, the morning newspapers were ebullient: "Heroic!" Le Soleil wrote as its single-word headline, while L'Observateur simply called the triumph "Unforgettable".

Senegal won the Africa Cup of Nations Sunday as Pape Gueye's extra-time winner sunk hosts Morocco 1-0 after a chaotic final that saw the eventual champions storm off the pitch late in the game.

"From hell to paradise, the Lions experienced every emotion", Le Soleil wrote, calling the tense and closely contested final a "crazy scenario".

The capital, its suburbs and multiple other cities erupted with vuvuzela horns, honking, fireworks and celebratory dancing as hundreds of thousands of fans took to the streets.

The win marks Senegal's second title, after their 2022 victory over Egypt in Cameroon. It was the team's third final in just the last four editions.

The Lions are believed to be returning to Dakar on Monday, although no official confirmation has been given.

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye is additionally expected to host them at the presidential palace in the coming days, after calling the players "patriots" and labelling the final a "victory for all Senegalese people".

The final took place in a tense atmosphere fuelled by controversy that arose several days before the match over the Senegalese players' reception in Rabat, particularly for an alleged lack of security as they arrived at the city train station.

The win was a "moral victory, a victory of collective intelligence over the brutality of circumstances and the pressure of vested interests", L'Observateur wrote.

T.Ibrahim--SF-PST