Senegal draws in Vieira's coaching debut; Nigeria wins, Cape Verde loses

Senegal drew 1-1 with Mozambique, and Nigeria won 2-1 against Madagascar in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches on Friday. Patrick Vieira, the former France star, made his debut as Senegal's coach with the draw. Senegal took the lead in the 32nd minute through Aston Villa striker Nicolas Jackson, who scored from close range. Mozambique equalized in first-half added time with a goal from Geny Catamo, who shot from outside the box into the far corner. Despite having possession in the second half, Senegal could not break through Mozambique's defense. The match was played in Maputo, Mozambique, due to Senegal's stadiums not meeting international standards. Vieira, who previously played for France's 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship-winning teams, has faced challenges as a coach in various leagues. He took over a Senegal team that has been in transition after losing the AFCON title and underperforming at the World Cup. An appeal regarding the AFCON final penalty decision will be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on October 8. In Nigeria's match, they fell behind to Madagascar when Ehsan Kari scored after 16 minutes. However, debutants George Ilenikhena and Moses Usor helped secure the win for Nigeria. Cape Verde lost 3-1 to Mali, with goalkeeper Vozinha making a critical error that led to Mali's third goal. Mali took the lead early and maintained control throughout the match.