Senegal fire coach Thiaw after disappointing World Cup

July 11 : Senegal fired coach Pape Bouna Thiaw on Saturday, saying their results at the World Cup necessitated a change at the helm of the team.

Senegal had hoped to be contenders at the World Cup, after beating Morocco in January’s Africa Cup of Nations final, but had a disappointing tournament in which they lost their opening two group games to France and Norway and let slip a 2-0 lead with five minutes remaining against Belgium in the last 32 before going down 3-2 in extra time.

Thiaw, 45, was due to begin a five-match ban in September at the start of the 2027 Cup of Nations qualifiers because he led a walkoff of players in protest at the penalty that Morocco were awarded in the final in Rabat.

French daily L’Equipe reported that Patrick Vieira, the French World Cup winner who was born in Dakar, was among the favourites to take over.

The Senegal federation has called a press conference for Monday.

(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Atlanta; Editing by Ed Osmond)