THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
High hopes for Senegal in their opening game on Tuesday after the four other African representatives have so far failed to get a point.
It will be Senegal’s first World Cup appearance since 2002 but the coach is counting on experience to get them through.
Senegal will draw on the spirit of the late Bruno Metsu, the maverick French coach who led them to the 2002 quarter-finals, when they face Poland on Tuesday in their first World Cup match in 16 years.
This will be the team’s first World Cup appearance since 2002 when captain Aliou Cisse’s side stunned defending champions France 1-0 in its opening game.
Metsu, whose side lost to a Turkish golden goal in the quarter-finals, died five years ago of cancer, aged 59.
“Today, my thoughts are with Bruno. I know that from where he is today he is watching us and his energy will lift us,” said Cisse, who is Senegal’s coach and also the only African coach at World Cup 2018.
The team’s qualification has been a cause of great celebration with the hopes that it will help develop football further in the country.
“They are not just representing Senegal. They’re playing for Africa,” Senegal fan Famara Dabo told Al Jazeera.
“We are a people of welcoming generosity, of pride, honour and glory. We are playing to win, to win the World Cup for the African continent.”
The team is not short on talent. Many of them play in leagues across Europe – Sadio Mane (Liverpool), Idrissa Gueye (Everton) and Cheikhou Kouyate (West Ham United).
Cisse insisted his side were feeling confident and set on enjoying their return to the global stage, unfazed by talk of pressure after the four other African representatives have so far failed to get a point.
No African team has bettered Senegal’s 2002 achievement, Cameroon, in 1990, and Ghana in 2010 also reached the quarters, but Cisse said he was sure that one would one day win the World Cup.
Captain Cheikhou Kouyate said Cisse had pushed them through particularly demanding training in the past month.
“The coach didn’t let up,” said Kouyate. “The coach has worked us like dogs.”
In Group H, they will also face Colombia and Japan.
Source: Al Jazeera News
