Senegal manager Aliou Cisse, expressed his anguish at witnessing his players’ tears in the locker room following their unexpected elimination in a penalty shootout against the Ivory Coast during the Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 game played on Monday evening.The defending champions were ousted 5-4 on penalties by the tournament hosts on Monday after an intense 1-1 draw in regulation and extra time and the 2021 African Cup of Nations winning coach was dejected to see his players cry.##NAJAVA_MECA_7837896##”I’m deeply disappointed by this outcome, especially for our players. Our objective was to defend the title and make our people proud,” he stated.The coach emphasized that the manner of their defeat, despite dominating the match, made the pain of losing worse.”It’s heartbreaking to witness the players’ emotional turmoil in the locker room. The game was unpredictable and intricate; we had opportunities to secure victory,” he added.Senegal had held the lead until the 86th minute, when Franck Kessie scored an equalizer from the penalty spot. Cisse believed his team faltered in managing the game effectively during crucial moments.”We succumbed in the penalty shootout despite maintaining our lead until the final moments. This defeat is particularly disheartening, especially considering our overall performance since the first match,” he bemoaned.Acknowledging the end of Senegal’s title defense, Cisse conceded that changes are necessary as the team seeks to rebuild.”Following this setback, we must undergo transformations; the future remains uncertain. There’s a sense of grief, with our players and the Senegalese nation sharing in the sorrow,” admitted the coach.Nevertheless, Cisse found solace in Senegal’s flawless run in the group stage. “We were well-prepared, and it’s worth noting our impeccable record of three wins in three matches,” he reflected.AFCON 2023: Hakimi is Morocco’s biggest zero as he helps Bafana Bafana throughAFCON 2023 – LAST 16SaturdayAngola – Namibia 3-0 (2-0)/Dala 38, 43 Mabululu 66/Nigeria – Cameroon 1-0 (0-0)/Lookman 36/SundayEquatorial Guinea – Guinea 0-1 (0-0)/Bayo 90+8/Egypt – Dr Congo 1-1 (1-1) penalties/Mohamed (p) 45+1 – Elia 37/MondayCape Verde – Mauritania 1-0 (0-0)/Mendes (p) 86/Senegal – Ivory Coast 1-0 (1-0)/Diallo 4/TuesdayMali – Burkina Faso 2-1 (1-0)/E. Tapsoba (OG) 3, Sinayoko 47 – B. Traore (p) 57/Morroco – South Africa 0-2 (0-0)/Makgopa 56, Mokoena 90+5/
