ethiopia vs senegal: Vieira seeks response in Bahir Dar
Returns to Group J qualification duty in Bahir Dar, where Senegal need a cleaner finish after a 1-1 opening draw and Ethiopia are chasing their first points…
BAHIR DAR — ethiopia vs senegal takes center stage in Group J of 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying on Tuesday, with Senegal trying to build on a 1-1 opening draw and Ethiopia chasing their first points after a 1-0 defeat.
The match at Bahir Dar Stadium matters quickly for both sides. Senegal sit on four points in the group after two games, while Ethiopia are still on zero and need a result to avoid falling further behind in the race for qualification.
Patrick Vieira’s first qualifier in charge of Senegal already showed a squad in transition. Senegal were held by Mozambique in their opening match, but Vieira has kept faith with a younger group that still includes familiar names such as Nicolas Jackson, Lamine Camara and Moussa Niakhate.
“Vieira says Senegal will apply intensity against Ethiopia in 2027 AFCON qualifier,” according to the match context provided with the fixture. That approach fits the numbers from the first round, where Senegal had 61% possession against Mozambique but still needed a late response to take a point.
Senegal look to reset after opening draw
Senegal’s line-up for the Ethiopia match includes Nicolas Jackson, Abdallah Sima and Assane Diao up front, with Ibrahim Mbaye, Pape Gueye, Lamine Camara, Malick Diouf and Malang Sarr also in the team listing provided by ESPN. The balance of youth and experience is obvious. So is the pressure.
In the previous qualifier, Senegal drew 1-1 with Mozambique and scored through Ibrahim Mbaye in the 11th minute, before being held to a share of the points. That result left them with room to recover, but not much time to waste in a short qualification campaign.
Ethiopia, by contrast, arrive after losing 1-0 away to Sudan. Their official line-up listed Bereket Samuel, Yared Bayeh, Samuel Yohannes, Birhanu Bekele, Habtamu Tekeste, Gatoch Panom, Abel Yalew, Kenean Markneh, Fikru and Chernet Gugsa among the starters and squad options.
The home side also know this is a rare meeting in Bahir Dar. That makes the opening minutes important. Senegal have been told to bring pace and force, while Ethiopia will try to keep the contest tight and frustrate a visitor that is expected to control the ball for long spells.
What the group standings say
The standings underline the stakes. Senegal are second in Group J with four points from two matches, while Mozambique lead on three points from one game. Sudan have three points from two, and Ethiopia are bottom with zero from two.
That gap is the real story. A second straight setback would leave Ethiopia scrambling to stay in touch, while a Senegal win would steady Vieira’s start and keep qualification momentum moving after the opening draw.
ESPN’s match data from the first Senegal game showed the team had 61% possession, 470 passes and three shots on target. It is a useful snapshot, but Tuesday’s visit to Bahir Dar will ask a different question: can Senegal turn control into a cleaner result against a side that has already shown it will fight for every inch?
The answer will start to come from the first challenge, the first duels and the first chance inside Bahir Dar Stadium. Senegal’s renewed push now meets an Ethiopia side with nothing to lose and no points to spare.
Source: bbc.com
