Senegal begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Mozambique on Saturday, with new coach Vieira looking to make a w jin88bet.one inning start after replacing Pape Thiaw.
The Lions host the Mambas in the opening round of Group J, which also includes Ethiopia and Sudan.
S ak168app.baby enegal will enter the fixture seeking to rebuild confidence following their disappointing 2026 World Cup campaign, where they were eliminated by Belgium in the first knockout round.
The two sides have me ak168app.club t five times previously, with Senegal unbeaten in all five encounters.
The Lions have won four of those matches, while the other ended in a draw, according to statistics from spec ks168app.site ialist website Transfermarket.
Their first meeting came at the 1986 Africa Cup of Nations, when Senegal recorded a 2-0 victory through goals from Pape Fall and Jules Bocandé.
The most recent meeting was during qualifying for the 2023 AFCON. Senegal won both fixtures against Mozambiqu ic88 e, including a 5-1 home victory before edging the return match 1-0.
Their complete head- ic88 to-head record is:
Senegal 2-0 Mozambique – 10 March 1986, Africa Cup of Nations
Senegal 2-0 Mozambique – 2 September 2006, Africa Cup of Nations qualifying
Mozambique 0-0 Senegal – 17 June 2007, A ic88 frica Cup of Nations qualifying
Senegal 5-1 Mozambique – 24 March 2023, Africa Cup of Nations qualifying
Mozambique 0-1 Senegal – 28 March 2023, Africa Cup of Nations qualifying
Friday’s match also marks the beginning of a new managerial cycle for Senegal.
Vieira too ic88 k charge after Thiaw was dismissed by the lr88 Senegalese Football Federation following the World Cup.
Thiaw had guided Senegal to qualification for the tournament and also led the side to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title.
Senegal’s World Cup campaign began with defeats by France and Norway. They responded by beating Iraq 5-0, but their r lr88 un ended with a 3-2 extra-time loss to Belgium in the last 32.
Vieira has made several changes to the squad since taking charge but has retained a number of experienced players.
Captain Kalidou Koulibaly, Idrissa Gana Gueye and Pape Matar Sarr remain part of lr88 the team, while Lamine Camara, Ismaila Sarr, Iliman Ndiaye and Nicolas Jackson are expected to take on greater attacking responsibi lr88 lity.
One of the biggest talking points is the absence of Sadio Mane.
The op88 Al-Nassr forward was left out because of what Vieira described as a “physical issue”, rather than retirement. The new coach indicated that Mane could return for the next internatio si88 nal window.
The changes come after a period of strong competitive form for Senegal before the World Cup.
The Lions qualified for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations unbeaten, recording five wins and one draw, before also securing their place at the 2026 World Cup.
Against Mozambique 88v , Vieira’s side will therefore begin their latest campaign with a strong historical record behind them, while the new coach looks to establish his approach with the team.
The other Group J fixture will see Ethiopia SEXXXXX-VN face Sudan as the four teams begin their bid to qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
