Preview: Senegal vs Malawi – Prediction, Team News, Lineups

Round three of the African Cup of Nations The qualifiers will be played this week and we'll see in Group L Senegal compete against each other Malawi in the first game of a doubleheader in Diamniadio on Friday evening.

The hosts are in second place in the group standings and are unbeaten with four points after their first two games, while the visitors are bottom of the table and still waiting for their first point of the competition.

Game preview

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African giants Senegal have made a positive start to their 2025 AFCON qualifiers and are currently level on four points with group leaders Burkina Faso, against whom they played a 1-1 draw in the opening round.

While the Lions of Teranga would probably have been quite disappointed with this result as they were leading the game until stoppage time, they made no mistake in round two and established their one goal lead against a brave Burundi away from home.

With these results, the winners of this 2021-22 competition have now gone six games without defeat, including four wins and two draws, since their AFCON exit against Ivory Coast earlier this year.

However, the team experienced the end of an era last week when the Senegalese Football Association announced its end Aliou CisseAfter nine years, he ended his tenure with the team, citing that the former national team captain had failed to achieve his goals, which included winning the 2023 AFCON and reaching the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup.

As a result, the Lions of Teranga will go into qualifying this month without a permanent coach at the helm, albeit with Cisse's former assistant Pape Thiaw will assume the duties on an interim basis until the next manager is confirmed.

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Malawi is now aiming to reach the main round of the AFCON for only the fourth time in its history. However, based on their recent record, it seems unlikely that they will manage to make it through unless they can win the rest of their group stage games.

The Flames suffered two consecutive defeats in the first two rounds of this competition, losing their opening game 2-3 to Burundi before being no match for Burkina Faso, who won 3-1 on matchday two.

Patrick MabediThe s side are currently on a three-match losing streak and have lost six of their last seven, with a win over Sao Tome and Principe being the only positive result they have managed in the last 12 months.

Poor form has also seen Malawi suffer a massive seven-place drop in its FIFA rankings over the last month, now placing it at 133rd in the world and 39th among 53 CAF representatives.

These two teams have only met three times in the past and Malawi have never beaten Senegal in that time, losing twice and playing to a goalless draw in their last meeting in January 2022.

Senegal African Cup of Nations qualification form:

Senegal form (all competitions):

Africa Cup of Nations Malawi Qualification Form:

Malawi form (all competitions):

Team news

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After much uncertainty, the Senegalese Football Association finally announced last week that he would become Galatasaray's defender Ismail Jakobs was released for the double game against Malawi.

Jakobs will add to an already star-studded lineup that includes, among others Edouard Mendy, Sadio Mane, Nicholas Jackson, Kalidou Koulibaly And Moussa Niakhateall of which are expected to occur next week.

Unlike most other nations taking part in these qualifiers, Malawi has announced a squad of just 20 players, most of whom also featured in the first two rounds against Burkina Faso and Burundi.

However, one player who has been called up is the Nyasa Big Bullets midfielder Lloyd Aaronwho will return to the national team for the first time since his cameo appearance for the Flames against Mozambique in June 2023.

Possible starting lineup for Senegal:
E Mendy; F Mendy, Koulibaly, Niakhate, Jakobs; Sarr, Camara, Ndiaye, Gueye, Mane; Jackson

Malawi possible starting lineup:
Chikooka; Sanudi, Mwase, Chembezi, Chirwa; Chester, Idana, Aaron, Nkhoma; Kaonga, Mphasi

We say: Senegal – Malawi 2:1

While Malawi performed decently, scoring in both of their previous games in this competition, they now face a major step up in the class of opponents and we believe they will be unable to beat the star-studded Lions in this game of Teranga to stop.

For data analysis of the most likely outcomes, scores and more for this game, please click here.

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