The game, to decide the 16th and final place in the men’s tournament, began with a goal after only two minutes from Senegal’s exciting striker Ibrahima Balde of Osasuna, who headed home unmarked from a free-kick.
It ended with Senegal’s clincher, two minutes from time, from substitute Abdoulaye Sane. In between there was some cavalier, exciting football as Olympic soccer returned to Britain for the first time in more than 40 years in the unlikely setting of the City of Coventry Stadium.
The last Olympic match played in Britain was in March 1971 when the British team beat Bulgaria 1-0 in the first leg of a qualifier for the Munich Olympics in front of just 2,200 fans at Wembley Stadium.
Britain lost the second leg 5-0 which proved the country’s last Olympic involvement because of political problems surrounding the home nations until 2005 when London was awarded the Games.
Monday’s match was not only a playoff for the 2012 Games finals but also one of 42 test events ahead of the summer extravaganza.
More than 11,000 fans, comprising miserable locals depressed with Coventry City’s relegation to the third tier of the English League on Saturday and lively Omanis and Senegalese, enjoyed a cold night in the midlands, watching a side from the Middle East and one from Africa, playing contrasting styles with just one aim in mind.
Senegal’s taller, stronger players dominated much of the aerial balls, while the Omanis, technically quick but lacking in stamina and finesse in front of goal, both produced plenty of exciting action, but Senegal just about held the upper hand and deserved their win.
Balde, who left Senegal at 16 for Argentina where he signed for Diego Maradona’s old side Argentinos Juniors before a spell at Velez Sarsfield and a subsequent move to Spain, summed up what the match meant to him and his country afterwards.
“The truth is, this is a very important stage for me personally, for our country and for African football. At 23 years old, I have the feeling its now or never if I am going to do something special in my life and achieve something so this was the moment,” he told reporters.
“This was a victory in which many people have been involved and we really wanted to do something special and memorable. The Olympic Games is special and to take part is a great moment for me and for my country.”
Assistant coach Alou Cisse, who used to play for nearby Birmingham City, said Monday had been a special night.
“As you know, it is a first for us, an honor to represent our country and our continent at the Olympics. It has not always been easy in the last 10 years for Senegal but this is a tribute to everyone who has worked so hard over the years for our country, day in and day out,” he said.
Oman coach, Frenchman Paul Le Guen, who has coached Rangers and Olympique Lyon, was naturally disappointed that their long Olympic odyssey, which took in matches across Asia including winning their Asian playoff tournament in Hanoi, was over.
Meantime, hosts Britain, taking part in their first Olympic soccer event since 1960, will kick off the bid for gold against Senegal at Manchester United’s Old Trafford on July 26 after the draw was made at Wembley yesterday.
Senegal reached their first Olympics after beating Oman 2-0 in a playoff at the City of Coventry Stadium on Monday.
“It is such an honor to play against Britain in the opening match at Old Trafford,” Augustin Senghor, the president of the Senegalese FA, told Reuters.
“I know we were the last to arrive in these finals after the playoff last night, but I hope that we will not be the first to leave. We will also field our strongest team and see if our players at Newcastle like Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse can be involved.”
Britain will also meet Uruguay and United Arab Emirates in Group A.
Brazil, five-times World Cup winners but never Olympic champions, face Egypt, Belarus and New Zealand in Group C.
Spain, gold medallists in 1992 and the world and European champions, take on Japan, Honduras and Morocco in Group D while seeded Mexico meet South Korea, Gabon and Switzerland in Group B.
The first event of the Olympics takes place at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on July 25, two days before the opening ceremony, when the British women’s soccer team play New Zealand in Group E. Cameroon and Brazil are in the same section.
Hope Powell, Britain’s women’s coach said: “(I am) really excited by the prospect of playing the first event of the entire Olympic Games. It gives us a tremendous chance to showcase our sport and we cannot wait to play.”
Women’s world champions Japan face Sweden, South Africa and Canada in Group F while Olympic champions United States take on France, Colombia and North Korea in Group G.
The women’s final is at Wembley on Aug. 9 followed by the men’s two days later.
