The preparations of Senegal for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations ended with a narrow defeat after Egypt claimed a 1-0 victory in an international friendly on Saturday.
Although the result carries no competitive consequences, it provides the Senegal Lionesses with a final assessment before the continental tournament begins in Morocco later this month.
The match also represented a successful response from Egypt, who had been beaten 1-0 by Senegal in the teams’ previous meeting on Wednesday. The Egyptians levelled the two-match series by securing a victory by the same scoreline, demonstrating their ability to recover quickly ahead of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Egypt’s win marked a deserved turnaround after their earlier defeat and offered the side renewed confidence before the start of the competition.
For Senegal, the result brings an end to their programme of warm-up matches before attention shifts fully to the tournament.
Mam Moussa Cissé’s side had entered the two-game series against Egypt after experiencing a difficult spell in June, when they suffered two defeats against Nigeria during their preparations.
The Lionesses responded positively by defeating Egypt 1-0 in the first friendly between the two nations on Wednesday, ending that losing run and regaining momentum before Saturday’s encounter.
However, Egypt produced a stronger display in the return fixture to earn a 1-0 victory and ensure both teams finished the series with one win each.
While the latest defeat will disappoint Senegal, it provides the team with another opportunity to evaluate their performances before the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations gets under way.
The focus now switches from friendly fixtures to competitive action, with Senegal preparing to begin their campaign in Group A.
The Lionesses have been drawn alongside Algeria, Kenya and tournament hosts Morocco in the opening stage of the competition, where they will attempt to progress to the knockout rounds.
Egypt, meanwhile, head into the tournament in Group C.
Their group includes Malawi, Nigeria and Zambia, presenting another demanding challenge as they look to build on the confidence gained from their victory over Senegal.
Saturday’s result concludes both nations’ preparations for the tournament, with each side taking different lessons from the two-match series.
Senegal will hope the experience gathered from matches against both Nigeria and Egypt leaves them better equipped for the challenge ahead in Morocco.
Egypt, meanwhile, travel to the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations encouraged by a response that saw them reverse the outcome of the first meeting with Senegal and finish their preparations on a winning note.
The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will be held in Morocco from 25 July to 16 August, with both Senegal and Egypt aiming to carry the lessons from their pre-tournament friendlies into the continental championship.
