By James Copnall BBC Sport, Dakar

Fans once again enjoy victory tune

But the Lions have not missed the boat after successive wins against Gambia and Lesotho to earn an unassailbale 10 points in Group 8.

It will be quickly forgotten in the euphoria of the qualification, but there were real fears in Dakar that the Lions would slip up against Gambia last week.

That would have almost certainly meant Senegal, finalists in Mali 2002 and Africa's best team at the World Cup, missing out on the Nations Cup finals.

Why the worries?

Simply put, Senegal struggled in the year after the World Cup.

Players such as Ferdinand Coly, Salif Diao and goalkeeper Tony Sylva had difficulty imposing themselves in their club sides, while the national team put in some disastrous performances.

A 1-0 loss to Morocco, in Guy Stephan's first game as coach, was particularly devoid of pleasing football.

I dream of giving the Nations Cup trophy to my people Senegal striker, El Hadji Ousseynou Diouf

The Lions seemed to be missing former coach Bruno Metsu, who hopped off to a big money coaching deal in the United Arab Emirates, and still suffering through a World Cup hangover.

Consecutive wins against Gambia and Lesotho secured qualification, and will have done much to restore the Lions' fizz.

"We have been in a transitional phase, which was surely necessary after all those brilliant results," Stephan analysed.

"The players were able to keep calm, and do what was had to be done in the official matches."

True enough, but the Senegalese will certainly have to step their game up if they want to do what they narrowly failed to do in Mali last year - win the Nations Cup.

Diouf is determined to win Nations Cup with Senegal

The return of star man El Hadji Diouf to his World Cup form is welcome news - Diouf scored twice in two games after a 16 month scoring drought, and looked back to his awesome best.

Stephan will have the time to tweak a few things in the team in the months leading up to Tunisia too.

Which leaves one problem: the Senegalese fans will accept nothing less than triump in Tunisia.

"I dream of giving the Nations Cup trophy to my people," African footballer of the year Diouf is fond of saying.