Flames opponents Senegal in AFCON Morocco 2025 reshuffle coaching panel

* The Flames will start their campaign at home against Burundi travel to Burkina Faso on matchday 2 between September 2-10

* They will then face Senegal in back-to-back assignments, starting away and then at home between October 7-15

* The Teranga Lions first face Burkina Faso Friday next week September 6 before dating and Burundi on September 9

By Duncan Mlanjira

The coaching panel of Senegal national football team has been reshuffled days before the Teranga Lions’ qualifiers of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025.

Senegal are in Group L of the AFCON Morocco 2025 qualifiers alongside Burkina Faso and Burundi and the Teranga Lions face Burkina Faso Friday next week September 6 before dating and Burundi on September 9.

Agence de Presse Africaine (APAnews) reports that Senegal will now be coached by an all-Senegalese duo after Pape Bouna Thiaw, was appointed as head coach Aliou Cissé’s assistant — replacing Frenchman Régis Bogaert.

APAnews reports that the Senegalese Football Federation announced the decision on Tuesday after Cissé came “under fire from much of the Senegalese public for some of his decisions in recent games for the national team, which has not been the same in recent months”.

The report further says the discontent from fans comes following the team’s unsatisfactory performance at the last AFCON finals in Côte d’Ivoire in which the Terranga Lions were knocked out in the Round of 16.

“Many attribute [the Round of 16] defeat to the coaching mistakes of Aliou Cissé, who has been in charge since 2015,” said the report that It also noted that Cissé, who led Senegal to their first-ever AFCON title in Cameroon 2021, had a long and close relationship with his former assistant Bogaert, who coached him as a professional with Sedan in France.

Pape Thiaw was part of Senegal’s famous 2002 generation along with Cissé and the technical panel has also been boosted with the appointment of physical trainer Hussein Bichara Farhat, nicknamed ‘Coach Flamma’, who is said to have trained several footballers on holiday in Senegal.

Frenchman Teddy Pellerin has also been appointed as second assistant coach.

Meanwhile, APAnews reports that Cissé will unveil the list of players selected for the two matches tomorrow ahead of the qualifiers against Burkina Faso and Burundi.

Senegal will face Malawi Flames in back-to-back assignments, starting away and then at home between October 7-15.

The Flames will start their campaign at home against Burundi travel to Burkina Faso on matchday 2 between September 2-10.

After the back-to-back assignments against Senegal, the Flames will be hosted by Burundi in the return match before winding up the campaign at home against Burkina Faso between November 11-19.

The two top teams in the group will qualify for the AFCON Morocco 2025 next year, to be played be played from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026 — as opposed to the usual period of January-February.

From the statistics published by https://www.11v11.com, Malawi Flames have played four times against Senegal, in which they only beat the Teranga Lions once on August 4, 1987 in an AFCON qualifier.

The two sides drew once, 0-0 on January 18, 2022 at the AFCON Cameroon 2021 while the Teranga Lions have won twice  — 3-2 on June 10, 2007 in an international friendly and 2-1 on July 14, 2021 in the COSAFA Cup in which the West Africans participated as guest nation.

The Flames have only played once against Burundi, a 1-1 draw in an international friendly which was part of the celebration of Independence Day on July 6, 1987 while in 6 outings against Burkina Faso, the Flames lost 4 matches and drew 2.

Three losses were FIFA World Cup qualifiers — 2-4 on April 21, 2001; 0-1 on June 6, 2009; 0-1 on November 14, 2009 and the 4th loss of 1-3 was on November 12, 2020.

The draws were 1-1 on June 17, 2000 in FIFA World Cup qualifier and a 0-0 stalemate on November 16, 2020 in AFCON qualifiers.

At the AFCON Cameroon 2021, the Flames did trouble Senegal and the draw squeezed the Teranga Lions to knockout phases while Malawi also qualified as best runners-up in their group.

It was Senegal who took the initiative to Malawi from kick off through Habib Diallo with an opening though his header from Bouna Sarr’s cross was wide off the mark.

Moments later, Sadio Mane missed a good chance to put his team in the lead but couldn’t keep his shot down from Bouna Sarr’s lovely cutback.

On the other hand, Gabadinho Mhango was looking dangerous as he began causing all sorts of problems for the Senegal defense. His best effort came from a set piece which he was unfortunate not to convert as it deflected wide of Mendy’s goal.

Malawi stood resolute in defense and starved the star-studded Senegal attack of the ball in the closing stages of the first half and the Teranga Lions stepped up at the start of the second period looking to take control of proceedings.

Habib Diallo came close to scoring but Malawi keeper Charles Thom was quick to react and tip the ball over the bar. Thom made another great save this time from Idrissa Gueye’s well taken free kick.

Senegal escaped a scare towards the end of the game when Malawi had a penalty claim waved away by VAR check following an alleged infringement in the penalty area.—Background match report by CAFonline