Sports Mole previews Friday's Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Senegal and Malawi, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Round three Africa Cup of Nations The qualifiers will be played this week, and in Group L, we'll see Senegal facing against Malawi Friday night in the first match of a doubleheader in Diamniadio.
The hosts are second in the group stages, unbeaten with four points after the first two matches, while the visitors are bottom of the table and looking for their first point of the competition.
Competition preview
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African giants Senegal have made a positive start to their 2025 AFCON qualification campaign, currently level on four points with group leaders Burkina Faso, who drew 1-1 in the opening round.
The result would have been hugely disappointing as the Lions of Teranga led the match until stoppage time, making no two mistakes in the round.
With those results, the 2021-22 winners of the tournament have gone unbeaten in six matches, including four wins and two draws, since their AFCON exit against Ivory Coast earlier this year.
However, the team has suffered the end of an era in the past week, with the Senegalese Football Confederation announcing the end. Alio CisseThe former national team captain's tenure with the team comes after nine years citing failure to meet their goals, which include winning the AFCON in 2023 and reaching the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.
As a result, the Lions of Teranga are without a permanent coach for this month's qualifiers, albeit a former assistant to Cisse Pope Diao The responsibilities will be fulfilled on an interim basis until the next manager is confirmed.
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Meanwhile, Malawi are looking to reach AFCON's main tournament for only the fourth time in their history, but based on their recent record, it looks like they won't if they can't win the rest. their group-level matches.
The Flames suffered back-to-back defeats in the first two rounds of the tournament, losing 3-2 to Burundi before proving they were no match for Burkina Faso.
Patrick's BedsWin's side are now unbeaten in three matches and have lost six of their last seven matches, with a win over Sao Tome e Principe the only positive result they have managed in the last 12 months.
Due to their poor form, Malawi have dropped a whopping seven places in their FIFA rankings over the past month, and are now 133rd in the world and 39th out of 53 CAF representatives.
These two teams have only met three times in the past and in that time Malawi have never faced Senegal well, losing twice and drawing their most recent clash goalless in January 2022.
Senegal Africa Cup of Nations Qualification Form:
Senegal Form (All Matches):
Malawi Africa Cup of Nations Qualification Form:
Malawi Format (All Matches):
Group messages
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After much uncertainty, the Senegalese football federation finally announced last week that Galatasaray was the defender. Ishmael Jacobs Allowed to join squad for double-header against Malawi.
Jacobs will add to an already star-studded lineup, which includes the likes Edward Mendy, Sadio Manny, Nicholas Jackson, Kalidou Coulibaly And Moussa NiakhatAll of them are expected to appear next week.
Malawi, unlike other nations participating in these qualifiers, has announced a squad of just 20 players, most of whom featured in the first two rounds against Burkina Faso and Burundi.
One player who got a call-up is Nyasa Big Bullets midfielder Lloyd AaronHe is set to return to the national team line-up for the first time since a cameo appearance for the Flames against Mozambique in June 2023.
Senegal Probable Starting Lineup:
And Mendy; F Mendy, Koulibaly, Niakhate, Jacobs; Sir, Camera, Ndiaye, Kuye, Mane; Jackson
Malawi Probable Starting Lineup:
Chicuga; Chanudi, Muase, Sembesi, Chirwa; Chester, Idana, Aaron, Wall; Kanga, Embassy
We say: Senegal 2-1 Malawi
While Malawi have performed well in the previous two matches in this tournament, they now face a big step up in the class of opponents and we don't think they will be able to contain the star-studded Lions of Terengganu in this one.
Please click here for data analysis of most probable results, scores and more for this match.
