WAFCON 2026: Senegal, Kenya in definitive fight for survival
After disappointing starts against Algeria (2-0) and Morocco (4-0) respectively, Senegal and Kenya face-off this Thursday in a do-or-die duel that will go a long way in deciding their Group A fate at the TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations 2026.
Both teams know that another defeat would seriously jeopardize their chances of qualifying.
Senegal desperate to bounce back, without deviating from their style of play
Asked about the responsibility weighing on his shoulders after the opening loss, Senegalese coach Mame Moussa Cissé expressed his determination: “We are aware of what awaits us, we intend to meet this challenge. We are well prepared for it. We will take responsibility, all of us as a group because it's a collective effort. We know what awaits us and we will do our job.”
Regarding adapting their preparation for an opponent very different from Algeria, Cissé emphasized the specific nature of each game plan: “Each match has its own preparation, because there’s what we call a special tactical plan for defending against the opponent in front of you. Kenya is not Algeria. The match against Algeria is in the past. We have information on this Kenyan team, and we will see, based on what we’ve gathered, what strategies to implement to be dominant.”
The Senegalese coach particularly highlighted the importance of clinical finishing as the key to the upcoming match. He said, “What we are aware of is that we must be very clinical - that the chances we create, we must put them away, and that we must also be clinical in front of goal so as not to make the same mistakes.”
For her part, striker Ndeye Awa Diakhaté summed up the team's mindset in a few words, also emphasizing collective responsibility and the need to be ready for this second match.
Dazed but not fazed Kenya remain optimistic
Beaten 4-0 by the host nation Morocco in their opening match of the tournament, the Harambee Starlets want to approach this clash against Senegal with the firm intention of bouncing back.
Asked about the main lessons learned from this defeat, Kenyan coach Beldine Odemba was quick to emphasize the mental aspect; “The main thing we asked the team is to ensure that they are well-equipped, ready, and highly motivated.”
Regarding the team's morale after this setback, Odemba admits that; “The performance wasn't what we had anticipated, as we had prepared well for this match. But the team spirit remains high, because we still have a chance [to redeem our campaign] in the next two matches. We've analyzed what we needed to focus on and we're ready."
Regarding the areas of improvement identified after the match against Morocco, Odemba was clear about her team’s priority; “We need to improve our ability to capitalize on our chances. We had two clear opportunities early in the match. If we had converted them, it would have been a different game."
On the main challenge this match will present, the answer was straightforward: "The hardest thing would be to lose this match. Tactically, we saw how they played, especially in their first match, particularly their physical profile. But we can outmaneuver them."
The Stat of the Day
This is Senegal's second match against an East African opponent. Their only previous encounter resulted in a 2-0 victory against Uganda in their opening match of 2022.