Aggrieved side make stand before Peru match in Paris
‘We know we’re African champions,’ says head coach
Senegal, who won the Africa Cup of Nations title in a controversial final against hosts Morocco in January, only to be stripped of their victory earlier this month, paraded the trophy before a friendly on Saturday against Peru at the Stade de France in Paris.
Kalidou Coulibaly, the Senegal captain, and his teammates came out on to the pitch with the Afcon trophy for a lap of honour after a pre-match concert by the Senegalese singer Youssou N’Dour.
Senegal have launched a legal battle against the decision to strip them of the trophy, but as far as new champions Morocco are concerned, the case is closed. Although the Atlas Lions lost 1-0 in the January final, the Confederation of African Football awarded them a 3-0 victory on 17 March because Senegal staged a 14-minute walk off during January’s final in Rabat in protest at the award of a penalty.
