Preview: Ethiopia vs Senegal - prediction, team news, lineups

Both seeking to bounce back from their opening-day slump and secure their first win of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Ethiopia and Senegal square off at the Bahir Dar International Stadium in Group J on Tuesday.

This will be the first meeting between the two sides in 29 years, with the Lions of Teranga securing a 3-0 victory in a similair AFCON qualifying clash back in June 1997 courtesy of a brace from Souleymane Sane and Omar Traore’s 68th-minute strike.

Match preview

Ethiopia were left spitting feathers in their AFCON qualifying curtain-raiser on Thursday when they fell to a 1-0 defeat against Sudan after conceding the match winner just four minutes away from time.

With nothing to separate the two sides at half time, Mohamed Eisa came up clutch for Sudan at the Juba National Stadium when he netted in the 86th minute to hand the Falcons of Jediane a vital opening-day victory.

Ethiopia booked their spot in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers after an impressive display in the preliminary round with a 4-0 aggregate over Sao Tome and Principe, claiming a 3-0 aggregate victory in the first leg on March 27, four days before securing a 1-0 win in the return leg at the Dire Dawa International Stadium.

Having missed out on qualification in 2023 and 2025, Yohannes Sahle’s men are aiming to secure their first AFCON appearance since 2021, when they picked up one point from three games in Group A to finish rock-bottom in the standings.

While Ethiopia will be looking to bounce back and get off the mark in the qualifiers on Monday, standing in their way is the challenge of an opposing side who have won each of their previous three encounters, scoring 10 goals and conceding twice since a 2-1 friendly victory in November 1963.

Six months on since the Confederation of African Football ruling that stripped them of the 2025 AFCON title and awarded Morocco, Senegal kicked off their 2027 qualifiers on Thursday when they were held to a somewhat disappointing 1-1 draw by Mozambique in Patrick Vieira’s first game at the helm of affairs.

Aston Villa new man Nicolas Jackson finished off a well-worked team goal in the 32nd minute to put Senegal in front, and after Geny Catamo hit back for Mozambique on the stroke of half time, the visitors failed to string together anything meaningful at the attacking end of the pitch in the second half.

This followed a somewhat disappointing outing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the Lions of Teranga lost three of their four games, including back-to-back defeats against France and Norway in the group stage before crashing out at the hands of Belgium in the round of 32.

For quality and firepower within their ranks, Senegal failed to make their mark on the big stages, picking up three points from three group games to finish third in Group I before a 3-2 extra-time defeat against Belgium in the round of 32 on July 1, when they threw away a two-goal lead in the final three minutes of normal time.

Vieira’s side are aiming to secure a seventh consecutive Africa Cup of Nations appearance since missing out in 2013, a run that saw them clinch their first-ever title back in 2021, when they secured a penalty-shootout victory over Egypt in the final.

An extra-time belter from Pape Gueye in the 2025 final against host nation Morocco saw Senegal clinch their second AFCON crown back in January, but the title was stripped by the CAF Appeal Board and awarded the Atlas Lions a 3-0 victory, following a ruling that the West African nation’s late walk-off protest constituted a refusal to play.

Ethiopia Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying form:

Ethiopia form (all competitions):

Senegal Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying form:

Senegal form (all competitions):

Team News

Abel Yalew netted a brace to inspire Sao Tome and Principe in the AFCON qualifying preliminary round back in March and the 30-year-old striker should spearhead Ethiopia’s attack once again.

Bereket Samuel, Yared Baye, Samuel Yohannes and Bekele Berhane should form the back four once again, shielding 27-year-old Abubeker Nura between the sticks, while Gatoch Panom, who made his debut in November 2012, and 28-year-old Habtamu Tekeste should team up in midfield.

Despite their disappointing opening-day result against Mozambique, Vieira could name an unchanged XI at the Bahir Dar International Stadium, with Lamine Sy, Sadibou Sane, Moussa Niakate and Brentford man El Hadji Malick Diouf forming the back four.

Lamine Camara made his 38th appearance for the Lions of Teranga on Thursday, and the Monaco man should retain his role at the centre of the park, teaming up with Pape Guaye and Juventus loanee Pape Matar Sarr.

Ibrahim Mbaye came off the bench against Mozambique, and the Aston Villa forward could be handed a starting role on the right, with Manchester City forward Iliman Ndiaye also in the mix to team up with Jackson in the front three.

Ethiopia possible starting lineup:

Nura; Samuel, Baye, Yohannes, Berhane; Gugsa, Tekeste, Panom, Tafesse; Markneh, Yalew

Senegal possible starting lineup:

Diouf; Diouf, Niakate, Sane, Sy; Gueye, Camara, Sarr; Ndiaye, Mbaye, Jackson

We say: Ethiopia 0-3 Senegal

Senegal boast one of the strongest squads on the continent, and while they suffered an opening-day slip-up against Mozambique, they are perfectly capable of quickly steadying their ship. Given the gulf in quality and experience between the two teams, we are backing Vieira’s men to come away with a comfortable victory at the Bahir Dar International Stadium on Tuesday.

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