Senegal will attempt to recover from a disappointing opening draw when they face Ethiopia in Group J of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers at the Bahir Dar International Stadium on Tuesday.
The match will be the first meeting between the two countries for 29 years. Senegal won the previous encounter 3-0 in a similar qualifying fixture in June 1997, with Souleymane Sane scoring twice and Omar Traore adding a third goal in the 68th minute.
Ethiopia began their campaign with a 1-0 defeat by Sudan last Thursday. The teams were level at half-time, but Mohamed Eisa scored in the 86th minute at Juba National Stadium to give Sudan a crucial victory.
Yohannes Sahle’s side reached the qualifiers after a convincing preliminary-round success against Sao Tome and Principe. Ethiopia won the first leg 3-0 on 27 March before completing a 4-0 aggregate victory with a 1-0 win at Dire Dawa International Stadium four days later.
Having missed the 2023 and 2025 editions, Ethiopia are seeking their first Africa Cup of Nations qualification since 2021. They finished bottom of Group A at that tournament with one point from three matches.
Senegal have won all three of their previous meetings with Ethiopia, scoring 10 goals and conceding two. Their first victory came in a 2-1 friendly in November 1963.
Patrick Vieira’s first competitive match in charge of Senegal ended in a 1-1 draw against Mozambique. Nicolas Jackson, the Aston Villa forward, put the hosts ahead in the 32nd minute after a well-worked move, but Geny Catamo equalised shortly before half-time. Senegal were unable to find another gear after the interval.
The result followed a mixed 2026 World Cup campaign in which Senegal lost three of their four matches. They were beaten by France and Norway in the group stage before suffering a 3-2 extra-time defeat by Belgium in the last 16 on 1 July. Senegal had led by two goals but conceded twice in the final three minutes of normal time.
Senegal are aiming to qualify for a seventh successive Africa Cup of Nations since missing the 2013 tournament. That run includes their first title in 2021, when they defeated Egypt, and victory in the 2025 final against hosts Morocco. That result was later overturned by a 3-0 ruling after Morocco’s protest over Senegal’s temporary withdrawal from the field.
Abel Yalew, who scored twice against Sao Tome and Principe in March, is expected to lead Ethiopia’s attack. Abubeker Nura should start in goal behind Bereket Samuel, Yared Baye, Samuel Yohannes and Bekele Berhane. Gatoch Panom, an international since November 2012, is likely to partner 28-year-old Habtamu Tekeste in midfield.
Vieira could retain much of the team that started against Mozambique. El Hadji Malick Diouf, Lamine Sy, Sadibou Sane and Moussa Niakhate are expected in defence, while Lamine Camara is set to win his 39th cap alongside Pape Gueye and Pape Matar Sarr. Ibrahim Mbaye may start on the right, with Iliman Ndiaye competing to join Jackson in attack.
The predicted line-ups are:
Ethiopia: Nura; Samuel, Baye, Yohannes, Berhane; Gugsa, Tekeste, Panom, Tafesse; Markneh, Yalew.
Senegal: Diouf; Diouf, Niakate, Sane, Sy; Gueye, Camara, Sarr; Ndiaye, Mbaye, Jackson.
The forecast is for Senegal to win 3-0, with that exact-score selection listed at odds of 7.50 on Betclic.
