Patrick Vieira has encountered early criticism as Senegal coach after his first two matches in charge failed to convince supporters despite an unbeaten start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
Senegal opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Mozambique before securing a narrow 1-0 victory over Ethiopia.
The results have given Vieira a respectable return from his opening two fixtures, but performances have raised concerns in Senegal, with local media questioning the team’s lack of attacking creativity.
The criticism comes after Vieira arrived in the Senegal job with high expectations.
The former France international now faces pressure to improve the team’s performances in the next round of fixtures and provide greater attacking threat.
Senegal’s results mean they have avoided defeat in their opening two matches, but the manner of those performances has become a source of frustration.
The draw with Mozambique was followed by a 1-0 win against Ethiopia, leaving little room for error in terms of attacking output.
Local press reports have focused on what they regard as an underwhelming display from a team expected to compete at a high level.
Questions have also emerged around Vieira’s team selection, particularly his decision not to use captain Kalidou Koulibaly in either of the opening two matches.
Koulibaly remained on the bench for the full duration of both games, a decision that has generated confusion among supporters.
The captain’s continued absence has become another talking point surrounding Vieira’s early tenure, adding to concerns about the team’s performances.
Supporters have also voiced their frustration, both from the stands and on social media.
The reaction suggests that patience is already being tested despite Senegal remaining unbeaten after their first two qualifiers.
Vieira therefore faces the challenge of addressing both the team’s performances and the growing concerns around his decisions.
The French coach took charge with expectations attached to the role, and the early results have not been enough to completely ease those expectations.
Senegal have collected four points from their opening two matches, but the performances have not matched the level of attacking football supporters want to see.
The narrow victory over Ethiopia has provided three points, but the limited margin means Senegal have yet to establish themselves as a dominant force in the qualifiers.
The draw against Mozambique also left the team with ground to make up in terms of securing maximum points from their early fixtures.
Vieira will now have to use the next international window to make improvements before concerns surrounding his tenure grow further.
A stronger attacking approach and more convincing performances would help ease the pressure surrounding the team.
For now, the unbeaten record provides Vieira with some encouragement, but it has not prevented questions from being raised about his methods and team selection.
