Senegal vs Gambia Prediction 15.01.2024

• Competition: Africa Cup of Nations &— Group C
• Date: Monday, 15th, January 2024
• Kickoff: 14:00 UTC / 15.00 CET
• Venue: Charles Konan Banny Stadium (Yamoussoukro)

On Monday, Senegal begins their quest to defend their title in the African Cup of Nations, facing off against Gambia in the first match of Group C at Charles Konan Banny Stadium.

Senegal vs Gambia Betting Tips: Senegal -1.5 (AH)

Despite suffering a slim 0-1 loss to Algeria in the 2019 final in Egypt, the Lions of Teranga made an impressive comeback two years later. They defeated Egypt 4-2 in a penalty shootout, securing their first Africa Cup of Nations trophy.

As the defending champions, Senegal will take the field on Monday. Their aim is to start the tournament powerfully and emphatically, signaling their dedication to being only the fourth African team to defend the AFCON title.

Aliou Cisse’s team is well-prepared for the largest competition in the continent. They haven’t experienced defeat in their last four matches. They also started their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign successfully, earning four points through a dominant 4-0 victory against South Sudan and a 0-0 draw in an away game against Togo.

Senegal’s defensive skills have been prominent in recent matches, preventing their last four opponents from scoring. However, to confidently lead Group C, they need to enhance their offensive capabilities. In their last six games, they have scored two or more goals only once.

The reigning AFCON champions will put their skills to the test in the initial group-stage match against Gambia, a national team that is dealing with a limited recovery period after barely avoiding a plane incident. Several players passed out during takeoff for the tournament due to oxygen deprivation, adding to their psychological strain.

Gambia, the lowest-ranked AFCON team on the FIFA rankings, is not only insufficiently mentally prepared to take on one of the top African teams, but is also entering this year’s tournament final in a shaky state of mind. They had a dismal start to the 2026 WC qualifiers, suffering losses to Burundi (2-3) and Ivory Coast (0-2).

A further worry for coach Tom Saintfiet is the dwindling resilience of his defensive foursome, as evidenced by letting in two or more goals in four straight matches. Spearheaded by formidable attackers like Sadio Mane, Nicolas Jackson, and many others, we are convinced that Senegal will achieve a robust triumph.