Dakar (AFP)

Sure of victory against Algeria in the final of the CAN-2019, the Senegalese have already started to party in Dakar and provincial towns, decorated with the colors of Senegal, a few hours from kickoff in the heat of Cairo Friday (21H00 French).

With its status as a globalist, African First Nation ranking Fifa, and the contribution of its European champion Sadio Mané (Liverpool), Senegal dreams of defeating the Indian sign on the occasion of the second continental final of its history, after that lost in 2002 against Cameroon.

Since the beginning of the morning, the streets of Dakar are punctuated by the sound of honking, vuvuzelas and the music of his other international star, singer Youssou N'Dour.

Despite the 1-0 defeat of the same Algerians in the group stage, "we will win, Inshallah (God willing) .The cup will be in Senegal this year," says street vendor Ibrahima Diallo, who Reached Place de la Nation, in the popular neighborhood of Colobane, several hours before the start of the match.

"The party has already started and the intensity will go up until the end of the match," he promises, as several hundred fans began to flock to this traditional gathering place. The square has been transformed into a "fan zone" with three giant screens and a large podium, where groups have to animate a party that everyone hopes will be festive.

- Sidewalks repainted in the night -

Dakar has put on his 31 to support his Lions. "We cleaned up the neighborhood," smiles a school girl, Adama Samb. Around her, in the popular streets of the district of Bopp, the streamers, electric poles, tree trunks lining the streets, and even the pavements and sidewalks, repainted during the night, display the green-yellow-red colors of Senegal.

A taxi driver grumbles. He is "forced to make a detour" to go to the west ledge, where another "fan zone" was being installed a few meters from the ocean.

Cafes, restaurants and shopping malls are also preparing to broadcast the game, although many Senegalese plan to watch it at home.

In Kolda (south), in Haute-Casamance, where the star Sadio Mané was born, as in Saint-Louis (north), stronghold of the winger of Rennes Ismaïla Sarr, the same fever and the same colors invaded the streets , according to AFP correspondents.

© 2019 AFP