Soccer: Surprising Senegal plan to go further

OITA - The World Cup's easy-going newcomers Senegal are not satisfied with equalling the best African effort at the finals after reaching the last eight.

They want to stretch their unlikely run on the game's biggest stage into the semifinals to give fans back home even more cause for celebration.

"Each time we play there are people who don't expect us to go through and each time we spring a surprise," goalkeeper Tony Sylva said after Senegal upset Sweden 2-1 with a golden goal on Sunday.

"We can't not think ahead because it's not every day that you're in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.

"With each match it becomes more important so we can't hide our faces. Now we're going to play to get into the semifinals."

Senegal, having beaten world champions France in the tournament's opening game, equalled the record of Cameroon in the 1990 finals by reaching the last eight where they will meet either co-hosts Japan or Turkey.

Sylva, 27, said he had watched Cameroon at the 1990 finals in Italy on television. "It's super to see an African team reach the quarter-finals," he said.

"We don't feel any danger. At the start nobody expected anything from Senegal. Even if we go no further that's not a problem because we have represented Africa well."

Sylva said Senegal's easygoing attitude to team discipline off the field has helped cement their camaraderie.

"We've managed to [get this far] because this is how we do things. Even if we get back late, if we go to bed late, and it's true that we do, we don't overdo it. We're together in the hotel, we see each other, we talk until one or two in the morning before going to bed, that's our way of handling [the tension]."

- REUTERS

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