2023 AFCON qualifier: row over, Senegal to play Rwanda in Kigali
The FSF says Senegal will travel to Rwanda for matchday 6 of the 2023 AFCON qualifiers.
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Senegal will travel to Rwanda after all. The match is scheduled for 9 September, as matchday 6 of the 2023 AFCON qualifiers. It was originally due to be played in Dakar. But the two federations later agreed that the game would take place in Kigali, at the Huye Stadium. In the meantime, the Senegalese federation did a U-turn and decided not to travel to Rwanda after all. In its note to CAF, the FSF stated that "an agreement in principle in no way means a contractual commitment with an obligation".
The response has greatly irritated FERWAFA. "How great was our astonishment at the spectacular U-turn by the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) over the venue for the return leg of the Cote d'Ivoire 2023 AFCON qualifier, due to pit Senegal against Rwanda in Group L on 9 September 2023 at Huye, as agreed by the two federations (…). With reference to paragraph 2 of a letter from the FSF to FERWAFA dated 30 May 2022, which reads as follows: 'Gives its agreement in principle for the Senegal v Rwanda match on matchday 6 of Group L to be played at the Huye stadium in Rwanda, on the sole condition that it is approved by CAF by then. Should the stadium not be approved, the match will be played at the Abdoulaye Wade stadium in Diamniadio, Senegal,'" one can read in the statement. FERWAFA considers that this agreement "is valid and unchanged" and points out that CAF had already approved this deal between the two federations on 30 May 2022.
FSF backtracks, but...
The FSF then reversed its decision after FERWAFA's statement. "The Senegalese Football Federation informs the public that, after talks with CAF officials and in a spirit of de-escalation, its national team will now travel to the Huye Stadium in Rwanda to play matchday 6 of the TotalEnergies Côte d'Ivoire 2023 AFCON qualifiers."
However, Senegal could field a B team, as head coach Aliou Cissé will not make the trip. "The national team, who will be led by coaches Malick Daf and Pape Bouna Thiaw, will leave Dakar on 06 September 2023 to face the Rwanda team on 09 September," the FSF concluded. After the game against Rwanda, the Lions are due to take on Algeria in a friendly three days later.