Senegal squad complete ahead of Mozambique AFCON qualifier

Senegal will begin full preparations for their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign on Tuesday when Patrick Vieira’s squad comes together for its first collective training session in Maputo.

The Lions have been assembling in Mozambique since Monday, with 15 players arriving on the first day of camp. The remaining members of the squad are expected to join the group on Tuesday, allowing Vieira to work with his full team for the first time during the international window.

The players arrived at different times because of their club commitments, with some featuring for their clubs on Saturday and others playing on Sunday. The staggered arrivals meant the coaching staff initially focused on recovery rather than team training.

The first group to reach camp completed recovery work at the hotel as Vieira looked to ensure his players were physically ready before stepping up preparations on the pitch.

“The trip went very well. It was a long journey. The difficulty was really getting all the players together, because some players played on Saturday and others on Sunday.

So, they arrived in small groups. But for the first group that arrived today (Monday), the priority was really recovery. That’s why recovery work was done at the hotel and we’ll start the first training session tomorrow afternoon (Tuesday). What’s important is to have the big day in mind and to be fresh,” said the national coach.

With the final players due to arrive on Tuesday, Vieira will have his complete squad available for the first time and can begin more focused preparations for Senegal’s opening qualifier.

The priority for the Lions will now be to build towards their first competitive fixture of the international break while managing the players’ physical condition following their club commitments and travel to Maputo.

Senegal’s opening match of the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign will be against Mozambique on 25 September in Maputo.

The Tuesday training session will therefore mark the start of the team’s collective preparations for the qualifier, with Vieira able to work with the full group ahead of the match.

The Lions will be looking to make the most of the limited preparation time available before facing Mozambique in their first qualifying fixture.