Kalidou Koulibaly calls for victory as Senegal face Ethiopia in AFCON qualifiers

Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly says the Lions are determined to claim their first victory in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers when they face Ethiopia on Tuesday.

Senegal opened their Group J campaign with a 1-1 draw against Mozambique in Maputo and now travel to Ethiopia looking for three points. Koulibaly has made Senegal’s objective clear ahead of the second qualifying match.

“We’re going to Ethiopia to try and take all three points,” the defender said in an interview broadcast by the Senegalese Football Federation.

Senegal took the lead against Mozambique in the 32nd minute when Nicolas Jackson found the net. However, the hosts responded in first-half stoppage time to level the match and deny the Lions a winning start.

Koulibaly felt Senegal produced their better football before the interval but found the second half more difficult. Despite failing to hold on to their advantage, the captain was satisfied with the overall performance and the point collected in Maputo.

The Senegal defender is also paying attention to the integration of several new players who have joined the national team during the current international break.

A number of the new call-ups made their debuts for the Lions during the opening matches, and Koulibaly believes they can play an important role in Senegal’s future. He also wants the newcomers to settle quickly and feel comfortable within the national team squad.

The captain views the arrival of Patrick Vieira and his coaching staff as a new beginning for Senegal. However, he does not want the change in leadership to undermine the work that had already been done by the team.

Senegal now turn their attention to Ethiopia as they look to improve their position in Group J. The Lions have one point from their opening game, while Ethiopia began their qualifying campaign with a defeat against Sudan.

Tuesday’s match will give Senegal an opportunity to respond to their opening draw and put their first three points on the board.

The game will be played at Bahir Dar Stadium on Tuesday, September 29th, with kick-off scheduled for 1pm GMT.

For Koulibaly and his team-mates, the target is straightforward: leave Ethiopia with the victory they could not secure in Mozambique.