Paris: Senegal on Saturday paraded the Africa Cup of Nations trophy they have been ordered to return before beating Peru 2-0 in a friendly at the Stade de France in Paris. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) previously reversed Senegal's 1-0 final victory over Morocco, awarding a 3-0 victory to the hosts, Morocco.

According to France24.com, Senegal captain Kalidou Coulibaly and his teammates conducted a lap of honour with the AFCON trophy after a pre-match concert by Senegalese musician Youssou Ndour. Coulibaly and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy then placed the trophy in the stadium's presidential box, in front of Abdoulaye Fall, the president of the Senegalese Football Federation.

The AFCON final had turned chaotic when Senegal players left the field in protest after a penalty was awarded to the hosts during stoppage time. They were persuaded to return by captain Sadio Mane, and although Morocco's Brahim Diaz missed the penalty, Pape Gueye scored in extra time to secure a 1-0 victory for Senegal. However, CAF later ruled that Senegal's players violated regulations by leaving the field without the referee's consent.

The Senegalese Football Federation has appealed CAF's decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and intends to retain the title. A crowd of 70,000 was anticipated for the friendly match against Peru, marking the Lions of Teranga's first match since the AFCON final.

Ahead of the match, around 200 Senegal supporters gathered at the Basilica of Saint-Denis, accompanied by traditional drums. Bally Bagayoko, the newly elected mayor of Saint-Denis, briefly joined the procession, expressing his gratitude for the initiative and emphasizing the unity and pride it brought to the community.

The friendly match against Peru was part of Senegal's preparation for the World Cup. They are grouped with France, Norway, and either Bolivia or Iraq. The squad for Saturday's match closely resembled the team that competed in the AFCON.