Ethiopia Senegal: Vieira vows intensity in AFCON qualifier

Patrick Vieira said Senegal will bring more intensity to the Ethiopia Senegal AFCON 2027 qualifier after a 1–1 draw with Mozambique. The Lions of Teranga visit Bahir Dar seeking a first win under Vieira, while Ethiopia look for their first points after a 1–0 loss to Sudan.

Key Takeaways

• Vieira urged Senegal to play a complete match and take three points away to Ethiopia.
• Senegal drew 1–1 with Mozambique in Vieira’s first game; Ethiopia lost 1–0 to Sudan.
• Live reports had Ibrahim Mbaye putting Senegal ahead early in Bahir Dar.
• Sadio Mané is out with a physical issue; Malang Sarr was lined up for a debut.
• Sudan lead Group J; the top two advance to AFCON 2027.

What did Vieira say ahead of Ethiopia Senegal?

Senegal coach Patrick Vieira challenged his side to raise the level for matchday two of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Ethiopia at Bahir Dar International Stadium.

“What can we do better than what we did against Mozambique?” Vieira told reporters, as quoted by Wiw Sport via Flashscore. “We’ll continue to play with more intensity and capitalise on the chances we’ve created.”

He stressed that there are “no easy matches” at this level and that the objective is to take the three points. Vieira also said facing Ethiopia at a “real stadium, with a real pitch” was a positive after a long journey, and that the team would be competitive tactically, physically and mentally.

How do Ethiopia and Senegal stand in Group J?

Both teams dropped points on matchday one. Senegal dominated against Mozambique but settled for a 1–1 draw after Nicolas Jackson’s lead was cancelled out by Geny Catamo before half-time, according to beIN SPORTS.

Ethiopia started with a late 1–0 defeat to Sudan, Mohamed Eisa scoring in the 86th minute. After the opening round, Sudan lead Group J on three points, Senegal and Mozambique have one each, and Ethiopia are still searching for a first point.

The top two in the group qualify directly for AFCON 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The group does not include any of the three host nations. More sports and digital coverage sits on BlasterPost’s Future Tech & AI Wonders hub.

What happened early in the Ethiopia Senegal qualifier?

The fixture kicked off at Bahir Dar Stadium on Tuesday, 29 September 2026. VAVEL’s live coverage reported Ibrahim Mbaye opening the scoring in the 10th minute after a setup from Nicolas Jackson, putting Senegal 1–0 up early in the first half.

Vieira named a squad without Sadio Mané, who missed the Mozambique and Ethiopia window with a physical issue, though the coach left the door open for a return in the next window. Defender Malang Sarr, called up under Vieira, was lined up for his Senegal debut after remaining unused as a substitute against Mozambique.

Senegal’s next date after the Ethiopia trip is a friendly against Comoros on 4 October at Stade Vélodrome in Marseille, closing the FIFA break fixtures.