Nickname: Lions of Teranga
Previous Appearances: 13 (1965, 1968, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1994, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012 and 2015)
Best Finish: Runners-Up (2002)
Who are they?
Senegal have pretensions of being an African football powerhouse, but their record leaves them barely punching at second tier. A power-playing West African nation whose sole claim to fame lies in their 2002 World Cup run where they reached the quarterfinals, the same year they reached the Nations Cup Final for the only time in their history. They have had three fourth-place finishes, the same number they tally in quarterfinal finishes. But there is a genuine sense of potential in their current squad.
Route to Qualification
Senegal finished with a perfect record in Group K, qualifying with all maximum points of 18, scoring 13 and conceding just two as they overcame the threats posed by Burundi, Namibia and Niger Republic.
Definition of Success
A semifinal place is entirely possible for what is a really talented group of players, but their fans will expect nothing but the whole shebang.
Biggest rivals
Senegal will be chomping at the bit to get at Ivory Coast, who denied them a 2014 World Cup spot in a tempestuous tie. And they’ll also be keeping a close watch for Cameroon, to whom they lost that 2002 Final.
Top three players
Sadio Mane, Forward, Liverpool
One of the best players presently in the Premier League, Mane brings penetration and creativity to the Lions squad. He will, however, need the support of his teammates to get the best out of him and avoid a repeat of the 2015 tournament where he was a marked man and failed to shine.
Idrissa Gueye, Midfielder, Everton
‘Gana’ has been a revelation this season in the English top-flight, where he has set about covering every blade of grass on the pitch in every game. He certainly will bring that all-action style into the Teranga Lions team and he should be a driving force from the engine room.
Kalidou Koulibaly, Defender, Napoli
The highly sought after 25-year-old defender only recently made his debut for the Senegal national team, but has gone on to make 12 appearances in that time. He will be keen to showcase those polished defensive skills that has made Europe’s top clubs queue for his signature.
Who brings the African league flavour?
Khadim N’Diaye
Though the team’s second-choice goalkeeper, the highly-experienced Horoya AC of Guinea goalie will prove to be useful in a team where every key department is occupied by European-based players.
How far will they go?
The team looks good on paper, but they have to sort out a creativity issue in the middle of the park if they are to fulfill their true strengths and potential at this tournament. They look good for a semi-final place, and from there anything could happen.
By Colin Udoh/KweseSports
@ColinUdoh on Twitter
