Senegal and RC Lens forward Abdallah Sima faces lengthy lay-off after injury setback

Senegal international Abdallah Sima is set to miss several weeks after suffering a thigh injury during the latest international break, with the RC Lens forward expected to remain sidelined until the end of November.

Sima picked up the injury while on international duty with the Lions of Teranga during the opening two matchdays of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The injury prevented the striker from featuring in Senegal’s friendly against Comoros on Sunday, October 4, at the Stade Vélodrome, where Senegal secured a 1-0 victory.

After returning to Lens, Sima underwent medical examinations to determine the extent of the problem. According to Le Lensois, the 25-year-old is expected to be unavailable until the end of November.

His absence represents a significant setback for Lens, particularly given the forward’s strong start to the 2026/27 Ligue 1 campaign.

Sima has made five appearances in the French top flight this season, contributing one goal and one assist as he established himself as an important attacking option.

The injury is also a concern for Senegal, with Sima having featured prominently at the beginning of Patrick Vieira’s tenure.

The Lens forward started both of Senegal’s opening 2027 AFCON qualifying matches, playing against Mozambique in a 1-1 draw in Maputo before also featuring in the 1-0 victory over Ethiopia.

He made a direct contribution against Mozambique by providing an assist, underlining his importance to Vieira’s attacking plans.

Sima’s lengthy absence will therefore leave both Lens and Senegal without one of their key attacking options for several weeks, with his return now expected towards the end of November.