After missing the African Cup of Nations 2010, Senegal have emerged as big favourites after an unbeaten run in Group E against Cameroon, RD Congo and Mauritius.

However, coach Amara Traore kept his cool after this impressive performance and turned down these speculations. “Saying that we are favourites is a pure theory,” he was quoted as saying on the widely popular newspaper Le Soleil.

“The best teams have reached the finals and we had to work hard and respect all our opponents to reach the finals,” he added commenting on the exit of big nations like Egypt, Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa.

Traore built a new team for the Teranga Lions that brought them on the right track after their glorious era in the early 2000 under the helms of coach Bruno Metsu who led the likes of El Hadji Diouf, Henry Camara, Salif Keita and Pape Boupa Diop the final of the CAN 2002 and the quarter finals of the World Cup 2002.

Moussa Sow, Papiss Cisse, Demba Ba and skipper Mamadou Niang took the qualification by storm and, whether they like it or not, they are now big favourites for next year’s title alongside with Ivory Coast and Ghana.