Sports
Senegal’s FA Rues AFCON Exit
The President of Senegal’s football association, Augustin Senghor, has said that he was baffled by the country’s continuing failure to win a maiden Africa Cup of Nations title.
Senegal were eliminated on penalties by Cameroon on Saturday as they contested their first quarter-final in 11 years.
“It is very difficult to understand why Senegalese football cannot win when you see the generation we had in the past and now,” Senghor told Tidesports source.
“It is a very great equation for us.”
Senegal, the highest-rated side in Africa by world governing body Fifa, had been tipped by many to win this year’s competition in Gabon.
The Teranga Lions’ sole appearance in a Nations Cup final came in 2002 when they were beaten on penalties by Cameroon after the game had ended goalless.
Players such as two-time African Footballer of the Year El Hadji Diouf, playmaker Khalilou Fadiga and the country’s record scorer Henri Camara were all part of the side, which would reach the World Cup quarter-finals later that year.
Saturday night’s match in the eastern city of Franceville was similar to the 2002 final, after also ending goalless, but this time it fell to Africa’s most expensive player – Sadio Mane of Liverpool – to miss the vital spot-kick.
The 24-year-old was inconsolable after Vincent Aboubakar sent four-time champions Cameroon through shortly after.
“Some of the players were crying in the dressing room and we understand that,” Senghor said.
“They were very deeply affected and are suffering very greatly. It was very difficult to find the right words to say to them.
“Mane was one of the players crying and you can understand. It is a kind of curse on the great players that they miss penalties in shoot-outs, and Sadio is the same.
“He was very, very upset.”
Mane’s effort was blocked by Cameroon’s star player, goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa, sparking huge celebrations as the Indomitable Lions reached the last four for the first time since 2008 (when they lost the final to Egypt).
“He is sad but it is only natural,” striker Moussa Sow had said.
“He wanted to do something good and give pleasure to his nation. Sadio is a great player.”
Senegal were looking to reach the semi-finals for the fourth time, having last managed to do so in 2006.
“We were supposed to go further in this competition because the team played very well in the group phase,” said Senghor of the first team to qualify for the knock-out stage.
The Bayelsa State government, yesterday, announced that the marathon will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
The inaugural race is owned by the Bayelsa State Government and will be organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited, a sports management company.
Under the theme “The Reveal,” the race represents a bold unveiling of Bayelsa’s immense human and cultural potential to the international community, inviting the world to witness the resilience, grit, and talent rooted in the heart of the Niger Delta.
According to the organisers, the race will be flagged off at 9:30 a.m., at the Opolo Roundabout, guiding participants through a carefully designed 10-kilometre route that highlights the scenic beauty and vibrant atmosphere of Yenagoa.
The course will culminate at Peace Park Square, where athletes will cross the finish line into a grand celebration of endurance, unity, and community spirit.
To elevate the experience for runners and spectators alike, the finish venue will host a high-energy post-race concert featuring performances from top A-list artistes, blending sport and entertainment in a festival-style atmosphere.
The organisers directed all registered participants to collect their race bibs and kits at the designated Peace Park Square between March 30 and April 3, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
The race, according to them, is currently on track for World Athletics accreditation, underscoring the commitment of both the Bayelsa State Government and Nilayo Sports Management Limited to delivering an event that meets the highest global standards.
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, on Friday continued the Commission’s nationwide appreciation tour with a visit to Abeokuta, where outstanding junior athlete, Majekodunmi Afusat Bisola, was presented with a cheque of N3 million.
The presentation forms part of the NSC’s initiative to recognise and reward exceptional junior athletes who distinguished themselves in 2025 and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s medal haul.
Majekodunmi delivered an impressive run of performances on the track. At the last edition of the National Sports Festival, she stormed to gold in the 400m and the 4x400m relay. She replicated the double triumph at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Junior Championship, in Abeokuta, before emerging as one of the standout stars at the African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.
Speaking during the presentation, Olopade explained that the Commission deemed it necessary to extend financial appreciation to grassroots athletes after elite performers had earlier received grants running into thousands of dollars.
“A few weeks ago, after paying grants to our elite athletes, we agreed tthere was a need to also appreciate these young, budding talents who made Nigeria proud last year,” he said.
He disclosed that of the 376 medals recorded by Nigerian athletes in 2025, more than 200 were won by grassroots talents, underscoring the importance of sustained investment in youth development.
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