On the eve of Sudan-Senegal, Stade Rennais forward Boulaye Dia warned the Lions against any overconfidence, despite the 4-1 first-leg win and top spot in Group J.
Senegal have not yet played matchday four of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers and must already look ahead to the trip to Sudan. Top of Group J, the country won the first leg 4-1 in Dakar, a comfortable margin on paper. In the Senegalese camp, however, it must not be taken for granted.
Boulaye Dia, the Stade Rennais and national team forward, spoke at a press conference on the eve of the match. According to Africa Top Sports, he delivered a clear message: beware of overconfidence. “It would be a trap to think it will be an easy match because we have just won 4-1 at home and we are full of confidence,” he warned.
Kick-off on Monday at 13:00 GMT
Sudan-Senegal is scheduled for Monday 16 November 2026 at 13:00 GMT, for matchday four of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers, according to Africa Top Sports. The Lions, already 4-1 winners in the first leg in Dakar, must now confirm it on away soil.
Senegal go into this trip with a clear home win behind them. Boulaye Dia’s words, however, reflect the same conviction: the first-leg score does not automatically carry over away from home.
“To win here, we will have to stay focused”
In the same press conference, Boulaye Dia stressed the need to stay serious. “It would be wrong to take this match lightly. However, we have prepared to put in a good performance and to be up to it. To win here, we will have to stay focused for the whole match and that is what we hope to do,” he said, according to Africa Top Sports.
The memory of a previous away trip also serves as a reference point for the forward. “The last time we came to play here, it went well, but there are no easy matches in football, even less so in Africa,” he recalled, again according to the same source.
Five goals in Ligue 1 with Rennes
Beyond the collective message, Boulaye Dia arrives at this fixture with a record in club football. He has 5 goals in Ligue 1 this season with Stade Rennais, according to the scorers’ standings published by Ligue1.com.
At national team level, the Lions are coached by head coach Patrick Vieira. The squad will have to stay focused until kick-off on Monday, as the forward essentially repeated, if they hope to secure an away win.