Senegal’s President Macky Sall declared Monday a public holiday to celebrate the national football team’s first ever African Cup of Nations crown following their victory against Egypt, public television announced.
Sall, who had been due to visit Comoros at the end of a trip that took in Egypt and Ethiopia, cancelled the last leg in order to welcome the triumphant Lions on their return to Dakar at 1300 GMT Monday, RTS said.
He was due to attend the final but because of a charged agenda as the new African Union (AU) President, he was unable to.
He took over the AU presidency on Saturday, February 5 from Felix Tshisekedi, president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who ended his mandate as president of the union for 2021.
Led by Liverpool star Sadio Mane, Senegal overcame Mohamed Salah’s Egypt 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out at Sunday’s final in Cameroon. The game had finished goalless after extra time.
After two previous final defeats in 2002 and 2019, Senegal finally claimed their first Cup of Nations title.
The Lions will be decorated by Sall on Tuesday at the presidential palace in Dakar, RTS television said.
“The president of the republic declared Monday a public holiday, a paid day off, following the brilliant victory of the Lions,” RTS said, citing a presidential decree.
Source: Agencies
