Senegal’s narrow 1-0 victory over Gambia in their opening match of the 2023 U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) highlighted significant areas of concern, particularly in the offensive department.
While the result was crucial, head coach Pape Ibrahima Faye, known as “Pif,” was quick to acknowledge that his team’s performance fell short of expectations.
Senegal, the defending champions of the tournament, now face an even greater challenge as they prepare for their next encounter against Tunisia.
Despite the win, Senegal’s performance was underwhelming. While some teams in the competition, including Morocco, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, and Zambia, showcased impressive attacking football in their opening fixtures, Senegal struggled to break down a resilient Gambian side.
The only goal of the match came from a set-piece, with no further attacking impetus on display from the Lions.
Faye admitted that his team did not produce a standout performance, explaining in the post-match press conference that the players seemed to be nervous and unsure on the ball.
“The young players are used to showing us more technical performances where we are more comfortable. But today, we played a match where it was as if we were scared stiff.
This is all the more understandable since these are young players who are in training and many of them are experiencing their first international competition.
It was a sluggish match, difficult for us,” Faye remarked.
Senegal’s inability to find rhythm in the final third was a major talking point. While the defence was solid, the offensive struggles were evident as the players lacked sharpness and precision in their movements.
Numerous attacking moves broke down due to poor technical execution and missed passes, which frustrated both the players and coaching staff.
Faye provided insight into the tactical approach, noting that the team had worked on specific attacking principles. “Our attacking principles are to ask our wing-backs to make false runs, instead of running down the touchline, but to take the inside of the field.
They did this well in the first half. But in the second half, what we really didn’t manage were our technical skills. Technically, we weren’t good.
We missed too many passes, made too many attempts to take the ball forward. Often, we would come out of the density and return to it instead of trying to open up the game,” he explained.
With a major overhaul of the squad and several key absences, including players who failed the mandatory MRI age tests, Faye’s team is still finding its footing in the tournament.
The pressure is now on to improve their offensive play, as they prepare to face Tunisia, who impressed with a dominant 3-0 victory over Somalia in their opening match.
Senegal will need to display a more cohesive and fluid attacking performance against the North African side, who will be looking to build on their own strong start to the tournament.
The match, scheduled for 5 p.m. GMT, is shaping up to be a crucial encounter in Group C, and Faye is hoping his team can rise to the occasion.
“We know that Tunisia will be a tough challenge, but we are working hard to fix the issues we faced against Gambia. We need to be more dynamic, more clinical, and show more composure,” said the Senegalese coach.
As Senegal looks to bounce back from their shaky start, fans will be hoping for a more clinical and attacking display from the reigning champions in what is shaping up to be a must-win match in the race for the knockout stages.
