We are four days away from AFCON 2023, and Senegal has lost two players, including Boulaye Dia. The only true striker in this team, his absence is likely to be a real problem. Explanations.
This Monday evening at the Me Abdoulaye Wade Stadium, the alarm was sounded. To have a successful AFCON 2023, Senegal will need to be very clinical in front of goal. However, as of now, the “Lions” of Teranga are still far from that. Facing Niger, a significantly weaker team, Senegal struggled.
AFCON is approaching rapidly. In four days, the best African nations will compete to succeed Senegal, the winner of the 2021 edition. The Teranga Lions are also candidates for their own succession. With a squad that impresses many, Aliou Cissé‘s players evoke fear, although the high expectations placed on them might make them falter in the coming weeks.
Senegal struggles against Niger and announces two withdrawals
This Monday, Kalidou Koulibaly’s team did not reassure against Niger. While the two OM attackers, Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaïla Sarr, were lined up in the attack, Senegal waited until the very end of the match to open the score. In the 90+9th minute, FC Lorient’s Formose Mendy scored from a poorly cleared corner (1-0). A success that does not inspire optimism just days before the start of AFCON.
Like Boulaye Dia, the Senegalese goalkeeper of Middlesbrough FC will not participate in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations. Seny Thimothy Dieng was forced to withdraw due to a thigh injury. This news was confirmed by Lions coach Aliou Cissé, who announced that Alfred Gomis, a regular in the national team, would replace him.
Seny Dieng, second in the hierarchy of Senegalese goalkeepers and African champion with the Lions, had an outstanding season with Middlesbrough FC in the English Championship. Unfortunately, he is deprived of a second participation in the biggest competition in African football due to his thigh injury suffered in Middlesbrough’s victory over Swansea (1-2) on December 16th. Alfred Gomis, on loan to Lorient from Stade Rennais, will take his place and participate in his third AFCON with Aliou Cissé’s team. He is expected to join the national team in the coming days.
A striker, Senegal’s major problem
With this unfortunate news confirmed by Aliou Cissé, Senegal faces a real problem. And why is that? The current selected strikers are not in their best form.
Expected to be the starter to begin AFCON 2023, Nicolas Jackson, who came on as a substitute this Monday, once again showed his limitations. He is not the most clinical finisher. At Chelsea, his club, he is indeed one of the top scorers alongside Cole Palmer, but given the numerous chances he creates per match, he would have scored around fifteen goals if efficiency followed. Moreover, in the Senegal national team, he has not yet delivered a standout performance. All of this does not reassure before AFCON 2023.
Another selected striker present in this squad is Habib Diallo. A year ago, he was one of the top scorers in Ligue 1. However, since his move to Al-Shabab in Saudi Arabia, the former Strasbourg player is only a shadow of himself. Moreover, he is no longer a starter at the club. In full doubt, he will not be comforted during AFCON 2023, at least not from the beginning, as Senegal’s coach will first rely on Nicolas Jackson.
Brought in as reinforcement after Boulaye Dia’s withdrawal, Bamba Dieng is suffering from a recurring injury that has deprived him of competitions. It is uncertain in what physical condition he will arrive at the team’s camp. There are too many apprehensions, suggesting that he will not be launched immediately by Aliou Cissé. Like Nicolas Jackson, he also suffers from a glaring efficiency problem. AFCON 2023 will be more than a test for this Senegalese attack.
Leave a Reply