Senegal open their Africa Cup of Nations campaign on Tuesday with the weight of expectation firmly on their shoulders, facing Botswana at the Grand Stade de Tanger as Group D gets underway in Morocco.
The Teranga Lions arrive as one of the tournament favorites, armed with pedigree, depth and recent results that underline their status among Africa’s elite.
Botswana, by contrast, step onto the AFCON stage seeking a first-ever finals victory, aiming to turn their underdog tag into motivation rather than limitation.
This will be Senegal’s 18th AFCON appearance and their sixth in a row, a run that includes lifting the trophy in 2021.
Their road to Morocco 2025 was emphatic: unbeaten across six qualifiers, just one goal conceded and a joint-best defensive record alongside Mali.
At the other end, Sadio Mane and Habib Diarra led the scoring with three goals apiece, highlighting a side that blends defensive control with attacking efficiency.
Recent form has only strengthened Senegal’s credentials.
A landmark 3-1 friendly win over England in June 2025 announced their ambition on the global stage, followed by a narrow 2-0 defeat to Brazil in November and a ruthless 8-0 demolition of Kenya days later.
World Cup qualifying brought further evidence of their strength, with convincing wins over Mauritania and South Sudan before a 3-2 victory against DR Congo.
Across those six matches, Senegal scored 22 goals and conceded just four.
History also favors the West Africans in tournament openers.
Senegal have avoided defeat in 15 of their 17 AFCON opening matches and have won their last five, a trend that reflects their ability to start fast under pressure.
The squad remains anchored by proven internationals such as Mane, Ismaila Sarr and captain Kalidou Koulibaly, while Pape Thiaw leads Senegal into his first AFCON as head coach.
The only notable absentee is winger Assane Diao, sidelined with a right thigh injury, though Thiaw has kept faith with an otherwise unchanged group.
Earlier fitness concerns around Sarr, Diarra and Ismail Jakobs have eased, leaving Senegal close to full strength.
Botswana’s presence in Morocco is a story in itself.
This is just their second AFCON finals appearance after their 2012 debut ended with three group-stage defeats.
Qualification for 2025 marked a milestone, sealed by a gritty 1-1 draw with Egypt in November 2024 that secured second place in Group C.
Their recent results reflect a side still searching for consistency at the highest level: a 2-0 win over Somalia in March 2025, defeats to Algeria and Mozambique in September, a narrow loss to Uganda in October, a 2-2 draw with Guinea and a 2-1 friendly defeat to Tunisia in December.
Yet their qualifying campaign, shaped by key wins over Cabo Verde and timely draws, showed resilience and belief.
Head coach Morena Ramoreboli will make history as the first South African to lead another nation at an AFCON finals.
Botswana arrive at full strength, with no injury concerns and a squad largely drawn from the domestic league.
Among the few foreign-based players is midfielder Renei Batlokwa, who plays for Maldon & Tiptree in England’s Isthmian League North Division and has just one international cap.
Tuesday’s match will be the nations’ first meeting at an AFCON finals. Senegal won both previous encounters during 2015 qualifying, and logic points toward another Teranga Lions victory.
For Botswana, however, the opening whistle offers a rare chance to rewrite their AFCON history – and to test whether Senegal’s favorite status can withstand the unpredictability that defines this tournament.