Senegal Coach: 'Patience Was Key to Qualification, Our Goal Is to Win AFCON Title'

Pape Thiaw, head coach of the Senegalese national team, expressed his delight at the "Lions of Teranga's" qualification for the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations "Morocco 2025," following their 1-0 victory over Mali yesterday, Friday.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Thiaw affirmed that his team had achieved their primary objective of reaching the final four, despite the significant challenges they faced against Mali. He noted that knockout matches always present unique difficulties.

Analyzing the encounter, the Senegalese coach stated: "We knew we would face a strong match against Mali, who possess great capabilities and caused us real problems. We chose to be patient and wait for the right moment to make a difference, which is precisely what happened."

He added: "Mali deserves congratulations; they continued to press us even when playing with a numerical disadvantage, but we knew how to manage the game. If we had been more focused in the final minutes, we could have scored two or three goals."

Regarding missed opportunities, Thiaw explained: "I don't feel regret as long as we qualified, but this is an aspect that needs to be corrected quickly, because opportunities become scarcer the further we advance in the tournament."

Regarding the possibility of facing Ivory Coast in the next round, the Senegalese coach said: "I don't consider it a revenge match; the circumstances are different, and the game will be played here in Morocco, not in Ivory Coast. Our goal is clear: to win the title, and we will prepare for any opponent with the same seriousness."