Two friendlies etched for Teranga Lions

Senegal have opted to hold their final preparations for the Afcon in El Jadida, Morocco.

The national camp will open in Dakar on January 2 for all invited players to converge. The team will pay a courtesy call on head of state, Macky Sall the following day. The Senegal contingent then departs on January 4.

The Teranga Lions aim to play two friendlies – against a local side and Gabon during their 12-day stay in the coastal town not far from Casablanca.

During the time, Dortmund’s Pierre Emerick Aubameyang and his Gabon colleagues will also be camping in Rabat. Senegal had the option of choosing between the North African country and Gabon which is not far from Afcon host country, Equatorial Guinea.

But head coach Alain Giresse opted for the El Jadida facility which the team previously used prior to their 2014 World Cup qualifier against Ivory Coast.

The Teranga Lions have a huge task against four-time winners, the Black Stars of Ghana, in their opening match with games against South Africa and Sengeal to folllow in Group C of the Afcon.

Giresse intends to name his list of 23 players for the Morocco camping not later than the end of December.

Senegal intend to conclude preparations and leave Morocco with a direct flight to Mongomo on January 16 – three days before their Group C opener with Ghana.

Team Senegal at the 2015 Afcon will comprise of a sixty man contingent, 23 of which will be players and 13 technical team members.