Senegal were eliminated from the 2023 AFCON on Monday night by Ivory Coast
The Lions of Teranga were sent packing after losing 4-5 in the penalty shootouts
Hosts Ivory Coast will now play either Mali or Burkina Faso in the quarter-finals

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Senegal head coach Aliou Cisse has broken his silence following his side's elimination from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Lions of Teranga were bundled out of the tournament in the Round of 16 on Monday night by hosts Ivory Coast.

The match had to be decided via the shootouts after it ended 1-1 in regulation time.

Aliou Cissé gestures during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations group stage match between Senegal and Cameroon. Photo by MB Media.
Source: Getty Images

Senegal took an early lead in the encounter via Habib Diallo, who needed just four minutes to break the deadlock.

However, with just four minutes left on the clock, the hosts restored parity through Franck Kessie, who scored from the spot.

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Senegal eventually lost 4-5 in the shootouts, with The Elephants storming the quarter-finals at their expense.

Cisse speaks on Senegal's AFCON elimination

Cisse, who led Senegal to AFCON glory in 2021, has since broken his silence in the wake of their elimination.

Speaking after the match, the tactician maintained the Lions of Teranga were keen to progress to the quarters but fell short in that bid.

"We came to win this Africa Cup of Nations. We were disappointed for our people who were expecting a lot from us, but I'm proud of my boys," he said via CGTN.

Ivory Coast are now scheduled to face either Mali or Burkina Faso in the quarter-finals of the continental showpiece.

Ronaldo sends Mane AFCON message

Sports Brief earlier reported on Cristiano Ronaldo showing interest in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations.

The Al Nassr star took to Instagram to share a message with his teammate Sadio Mane ahead of Senegal's clash with Ivory Coast.

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The former Real Madrid star wished the Senegalese winger luck before their game against the host nation in the second round.

However, his goodwill message was not enough to fire Senegal to the quarter-finals, as they lost the tie.

Authors

Fred Kennedy

Fred Kennedy has a Bachelor's degree in journalism (Daystar University), currently working as a Sports Editor. He has more than five years of experience in digital journalism.