Senegal have defiantly showcased the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy ahead of their international friendly with Peru, even after being officially stripped of the continental crown by the Confederation of African Football.
The West African giants were initially crowned champions following a tense and controversial final against Morocco on January 18.
The decisive match ended in dramatic fashion, with Senegal players leaving the field in protest after their opponents were awarded a stoppage-time penalty while the game was still goalless.
Despite CAF’s ruling to overturn the result and hand victory to Morocco, Senegal’s camp remains resolute. Head coach Pape Thiaw insisted his team earned the title fairly on the pitch and continues to regard themselves as rightful champions.
“We know what we achieved,” Thiaw stated. “Trophies are decided on the field of play, and from our perspective, we are still African champions. Our focus now is to keep building and winning more.”
CAF’s decision saw Morocco awarded the title marking only their second AFCON triumph, with their first dating back to 1976.
The ruling has, however, been challenged by Senegal, who have taken their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in a bid to overturn the verdict.
Meanwhile, Morocco returned to action in a friendly encounter against Ecuador in Madrid, settling for a 1-1 draw in their first outing since the controversial final.
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