Africans roar with pride as Senegal ...

...lions head into last eight

...lions head into last eight
From Mozambique to Mali, it was a festival of green, yellow and red Sunday as Africans danced in the streets and honked their horns, claiming Senegal's win through to the quarterfinals of the World Cup over Sweden as their own.

Thousands of rapturous fans poured into the streets of Dakar, laughing and cheering after the Lions -- who are appearing in their first World Cup ever -- eliminated the Nordic country 2-1 on a golden goal by Henri Camara 14 minutes into extra time.

Scrawled cockily on a sidewalk by Independence Square was the slogan "next victims: Japan, England, Italy in the final."

A young woman held her hands in the air, lost in a speechless trance, while another fan nearby wept quietly for joy.

A cacophony of horns sounded in Abidjan, Ivory Coast where Cocody University exploded with joy, while in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) people paraded taxis and bicycles up and down the main Boulevard 30 Juin, feting the Senegalese team.

In Maputo, a conference hall where the ruling party FRELIMO was holding a congress shook when delegates learned of the victory, and Mozambique President Joaquim Chissano congratulated the winning team himself.

"This is too good for Africa! I almost want to cry," said one shopkeeper in Abidjan.

"For me, first there were the Blues and then the African teams," said football fan Mamadou, referring to the French title-holding team, going down 1-0 in their opening match against Senegal and eliminated from the first round without scoring a single goal.

"The Blues are out, long live the Lions!" he said, referring to Senegal's team nickname. "They play for Senegal, but they're playing for me, for us, for Africans!"

"Senegal's victory is Africa's," said one fan in the midst of victory celebrations in the west African country of Mauritania.

Much the same sentiment on the Lions came from Mali, Gambia, Niger and the DRC: it was a victory for the entire African continent.

In the capital Nouakchott, football fans wrapped themselves in Senegal's flag as they celebrated in front of the Senegalese embassy.

"Victory was not easy, but they showed that they're the real Lions and that they're really indomitable," said a man who gave his name only as Fall, referring to the "Indomitable Lions" of Cameroon, the last African side to qualify for the last eight at the 1990 finals in Italy.

"Senegal is a worthy representative of Africa at the World Cup," supporters in Bamako chanted.

Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure watched the game with his family, and a source close to the president said he cried "bravo, a thousand times bravo to the children" when the game ended.

As the sound of drums echoed around the Niger capital Niamey, scores of young people perched on car roofs screamed "Senegal, Senegal, we won, we're really strong!"

And in Senegal's west African neighbor Gambia, people wore the team's jerseys as they took to the streets of towns and villages singing the tune of songs composed in honor of the Lions.

In Paris which has one of the largest Senegalese expatriate communities in the world some 300 Senegalese fans draped in green, yellow and red marched down the famed Champs-Elysees.

Even outside Stockholm, around 60 Senegal supporters braved sheeting rain at the port of Hammarby to cheer their players, the Swedish news agency TT reported.

"Thank you very much Sweden. I hope the Swedes will support us because Senegal's going all the way to the final," a jubilant Abdonlaye Samba said.