Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - The entire national football team on Monday held its maiden training at the Léopold Sédar Senghor stadium in Dakar to prepare for the 25th African Cup of Nations (CAN) finals to be staged in Egypt from 20 January to 10 February 2006.

The 23 players, who had gathered for relaxation at the Saly Portudal tourist resort, about 70 km east of Dakar, will undergo a series of training exercises in the Senegalese capital until 13 January.

On 14 January, the "Lions of Teranga will encounter the "Simba" of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) before flying to Port Said in Egypt on 17 January.

Senegal, Zimbabwe, Ghana and Nigeria are in group D, which will play its preliminary matches in the Egyptian Red Sea port city of Port-Saïd.

The Lions of Teranga are scheduled to play their CAN opening match on 23 January against Zimbabwe before meeting Ghana and Nigeria on 27 and 31 January, respectively in the first round.