Senegal secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Ethiopia in their second Group J match of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign. Played at the Bahir Dar Stadium on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, the encounter saw the visiting Lions of Teranga claim all three points courtesy of a clinical first-half strike from young midfielder Ibrahim Mbaye.
The visiting side entered the fixture under pressure after being held to a 1-1 draw by Mozambique in their opening qualifier. Meanwhile, Ethiopia sought a strong response on home soil following a narrow 1-0 defeat against Sudan. Under the tactical guidance of head coach Patrick Vieira, who has prioritized integrating younger talent, Senegal deployed a 3-4-3 formation. Nicolas Jackson featured up front alongside Assane Diao and Abdallah Sima.
Early Breakthrough for the Lions of Teranga
The match’s defining moment arrived in the 10th minute. Forward Nicolas Jackson carved out space near the edge of the penalty box and slipped a clever pass to Ibrahim Mbaye. The midfielder calmly slotted a right-footed shot from the center of the area past Ethiopian goalkeeper A. Nura to break the deadlock.
Despite taking an early lead, Senegal found it challenging to completely subdue a determined Ethiopian side. Managed by Yohannes Sahle, the hosts lined up in a 4-2-3-1 structure, leaning heavily on the creativity of attacking midfielders Chernet Gugsa, Kenean Markneh, and Biniyam Fikru to test the Senegalese defense.
Defensive Resilience and Tactical Changes
As the match progressed into the second half, Ethiopia increased their offensive pressure in search of an equalizer. Midfielder Gatoch Panom orchestrated several plays from deep, while Markneh and Fikru tested Senegalese goalkeeper Y. Diouf with long-range efforts and headers that narrowly missed the target.
Vieira utilized his substitutes to neutralize Ethiopia’s momentum. He introduced experienced campaigners like Idrissa Gana Gueye and refreshed the attack with Issa Soumaré and Bara Sapoko Ndiaye. Despite yellow cards shown to Pape Gueye, M. Sarr, and Idrissa Gueye during a scrappy physical contest, Senegal’s defensive block successfully absorbed the pressure and preserved their clean sheet.
Group J Standings and Outlook
With this crucial away victory, Senegal improved their standing in Group J, positioning themselves strongly in the race for a spot in the final tournament. Ethiopia remains searching for its first points of the qualification cycle after two consecutive defeats.
Match Lineups
Ethiopia Starting XI (4-2-3-1): A. Nura; B. Bekele, Y. Bayeh, B. Samuel, S. Yohannes; G. Panom, H. Tekeste; C. Gugsa, K. Markneh, B. Fikru; A. Yalew
Senegal Starting XI (3-4-3): Y. Diouf; M. Niakhaté, S. Sané, M. Sarr; I. Mbaye, P. Gueye, L. Camara, E. Diouf; A. Diao, N. Jackson, A. Sima
