The Teranga Lions secured a narrow victory over the Squirrels to advance into the last four of the continental tournament
Senegal coach Aliou Cisse said they were not surprised by the performance of Benin in the quarter-final of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday.
Idrissa Gueye’s solitary effort handed the Teranga Lions a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the Squirrels as they secured their place in the semi-final of the tournament for the first time in 13 years.
Prior to the defeat, Benin were unbeaten in their last four games, forcing Ghana, Cameroon and Guinea-Bissau to stalemates before ousting North African giants Morocco in the Round of 16.
“We’re very happy with this victory. It’s true we had the possibility to score. They were a difficult team,” Cisse told Goal. “Don’t forget, Cameroon didn’t beat them, neither Morocco nor Ghana, so we were waiting for a difficult, complicated game.
“We had chances but they’re a team that gave up nothing. We knew it would be a tight score, maybe 1-0, maybe extra time. To play against a team who know exactly what they must do, it’s hard. I must congratulate my players.”
Senegal will play the winner of last night’s clash between Madagascar and Tunisia in the semi-final at the 30 June Stadium on Sunday.
