On the eve of the last qualifying match for the African Cup of Nations (CAN) against Burundi, Kalidou Koulibaly, the captain of the Senegal Lions, shared his impressions on the state of mind of the group and the objectives of the team. At a press conference, he spoke about the motivation of his teammates and the challenges encountered in previous matches.
Kalidou Koulibaly insisted on the excellent state of mind that reigns within the group. “The state of mind is truly impeccable. Everyone is motivated for this match,” he stressed. He explained that although qualification is already assured, the team is keen to end the year on a positive note by winning at home. “We want to finish in the best possible conditions,” added the central defender, highlighting the desire to show their potential to finish the year 2024 well.
Concerning the victory against Burkina Faso, Koulibaly did not fail to salute the exceptional performance of Edouard Mendy, author of several decisive saves, including a crucial face-to-face. “Edouard Mendy put in a great performance, he gave us five decisive saves,” he declared. For the Lions captain, Mendy has always been reliable, and even if he went through periods of less demand, he was able to shine in key moments.
However, he also recognized that the Senegalese defense, despite this victory, still has areas to improve. “There are imperfections on the defensive line, but we are working on that,” he assured. The most important thing, according to him, is that the team maintained a clean sheet, without conceding a goal against Burkina Faso, which demonstrates a newfound solidity.
Another source of concern for Koulibaly remains the team’s effectiveness on set pieces. “We get a lot of set pieces, but we can’t be effective enough,” he admitted. Although he has only scored one goal for the national team, the defender promises that the Lions are actively working to improve this phase of the game. “The defenders are part of it too,” he said, emphasizing that the Defensive players must also contribute to making these situations a reality.
A positive overall assessment of qualifications
Speaking about the qualifications, Kalidou Koulibaly was satisfied with the campaign carried out so far. “It’s going well,” he said, while recognizing that the draw against Burkina Faso served as a lesson to the team.
The captain recalled that Senegal remains undefeated in CAN qualifiers for several years, emphasizing the solidity of the group. “We manage to qualify before the last two or three days,” he added with confidence.
Koulibaly also addressed the difficulty of away matches in Africa, but insisted on the team’s pride in being able to succeed there. He concluded by expressing the hope that Senegal will finish in style against Burundi, in order to continue its momentum and aim higher, in particular by aiming for qualification for the World Cup.
