Dakar, Nov 13 (APS) – The Senegal national football team is “focused and determined” to win against Burkina Faso to finish first in Group L of the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualifiers , assured, Wednesday in Bamako, the interim coach, Pape Bouna Thiaw, and his midfielder, Pape Gueye.
”We are fortunate to have many experienced executives on the team. It’s a bit of a special match, but everyone is focused and looking forward to it. We are competitors. We want to be first. It won’t be easy, but we’re not going to give up. Each player who joins the selection, his objective is to give everything for his country,” said Pape Gueye.
He spoke in the presence of Pape Thiaw, during the press conference organized on the eve of the match counting for the fifth day of the CAN 2025 qualifiers against Burkina Faso. With 10 points, the Burkinabé are first in the group thanks to a better goal average (+3). The Senegalese are second with 10 points (+2).
”Burkina is a team that doesn’t give up. The players are strong in duels. The team has many famous footballers. It’s a selection that has a good mentality. That’s why it will be a good match,” said the Villarreal (Spain) player.
Pape Gueye also promised to improve further, by listening to the instructions of his partners and the coach to be better useful to the team. ”I have been playing for Senegal for three years. It’s a pride to be called up for the selection. At first I tiptoed in, but today I feel better and better. I have more playing time. It’s up to me to work more,” he said.
”Finish first in the group as usual”
”We are going to give everything. It will be a tough match, as each team wants to take first place. In the first leg, I was on the bench and we all had pain when we conceded the goal at the last second. But the matches follow one another and are not alike. We will do everything to approach this match well and take the three points,” maintained Thiaw.
According to the Senegalese technician, the national team is “used to finishing first” in its group in the qualifiers. ”We want to continue this momentum and that means winning tomorrow’s match (Thursday). With our current status, all our matches are finals,” he insisted
The former Olympique de Marseille player and Pape Thiaw invited the Senegalese fans established in Bamako to come and support the national team in order to help it better approach this meeting.
Two days before the end of the qualifiers, Senegal, like eight other competing countries, has already validated its qualification for CAN 2025.
Group L, which brings together Burundi and Malawi, in addition to Senegal and Burkina Faso, is the only one to have already registered two qualifiers, two days before the end of the qualifiers.
During the first leg played on September 6 at Diamniadio, the Stallions held the Lions to a draw (1-1). Trailing (1-0), the Burkinabè equalized in added time of the second period (95 minutes).
This meeting counted for the first day of the CAN 2025 qualifiers, which will mark Senegal’s 18th participation in the final phase of this competition.
The meeting between the two teams will be decisive for the lead in Group L.
