SM
Inter Milan vs. Como: 19 hrs 33 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data
SN
World Cup | Group Stage
Nov 21, 2022 at 4pm UK
 
NN

Senegal
0 - 2
Netherlands


Mendy (90+4'), Gueye (90+6')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Gakpo (84'), Klaassen (90+9')
de Ligt (56')

World Cup 2022: Reasons for Senegal to be confident of beating Netherlands

:Headline: World Cup 2022: Reasons for Senegal to be confident of beating Netherlands:
Ahead of the World Cup Group A clash between Senegal and Netherlands, Sports Mole looks at some reasons why Senegal should be confident of picking up a positive result.
Sports Mole

Twenty years on from announcing themselves on the world stage in unforgettable fashion, Senegal get their 2022 World Cup campaign underway against Netherlands on Monday.

While they were relative unknowns during that last Asian World Cup in 2002, this time around they travel to the continent highly regarded and having won the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in their history earlier this year.

However, they have been dealt a huge blow in the build-up to the tournament with the news that Ballon d'Or runner-up, national icon and team talisman Sadio Mane has been ruled out of the whole World Cup.

Here, Sports Mole look at some reasons for them to be confident of picking up a positive result against the Netherlands despite Mane's absence.



Unbeaten record

While Monday's match will be the first-ever meeting between Senegal and Netherlands, the African nation do have past experience of playing against European sides on the grandest stage.

In three previous group games against European opposition at the World Cup, Senegal have won twice and drawn once, most famously beating France in the 2002 opener in South Korea - their first-ever World Cup game.

They then went on to draw with Denmark in their next match and also beat Sweden in the round of 16, before their dream run was ended by Turkey after extra time in the quarter-finals.

Four years ago in Russia, Senegal beat Poland in their opening game, so they also have more recent experience of overcoming European opposition at the World Cup.



Fast starters

Admittedly, Senegal's history of opening matches at World Cups is a relatively short one, but it is also a perfect one.

That famous 1-0 win over France - the defending world and European champions - in 2002 goes down as one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, with Papa Bouba Diop scoring the only goal of the game.

Despite their run to the quarters of that competition, it was 16 years before Senegal returned to the World Cup stage, but they made it two wins from two with a 2-1 victory over Poland.

A Thiago Cionek own goal gave them the lead in that match before M'Baye Niang doubled the advantage on the hour mark, then Grzegorz Krychowiak pulled one back for Poland late on.



Major tournament experience

Senegal's World Cup experience pales in comparison to Netherlands, of course, but they have been building their experience at the top level ever since that memorable debut in 2002.

That culminated in the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year as they finally picked up their first piece of silverware, beating Egypt in the final to be crowned continental champions.

This winter sees them appear in successive World Cups for the first time, and their manager Aliou Cisse has been involved in all three of their previous campaigns - as a player in 2002 and a manager in 2018 and 2022.

Cisse played in four games at the 2002 edition of the tournament, before taking charge of all three games four years ago in Russia.


body check tags ::

amp_article__500179 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2022-11-21 23:35:24:
html db last update - 2022-11-21 23:35:24 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html
Read more!
Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Recommended Next on SM
Senegal vs. Netherlands: Why to expect a Dutch win from World Cup Group A clash
Two Arsenal, two Liverpool: Sports Mole's Premier League Team of the Week
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool16123137162139
2Chelsea17105237191835
3Arsenal1796234161833
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest179442319431
5Bournemouth178452721628
6Aston Villa178452626028
7Manchester CityMan City178362925427
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle177552721626
9Fulham176742422225
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton176742726125
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1772839251423
12Brentford177283232023
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd176472122-122
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham175572230-820
15Everton163761421-716
16Crystal Palace173771826-816
17Leicester CityLeicester173592137-1614
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1733112740-1312
19Ipswich TownIpswich172691632-1612
20Southampton1713131136-256
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Top Premier League goalscorers of all time

NEW

1

TP

Rashford's future 'takes a fresh twist' as 'new favourite' for Man United star 'emerges'

2

RF

Liverpool's top goalscorers of all time

NEW

3

LT

Two Arsenal, two Liverpool: Sports Mole's Premier League Team of the Week

NEW

4

TA

Game of the season: Leaders Liverpool tear Tottenham apart in nine-goal spectacular

5

GO

No Rush? The maths behind Salah's pursuit of Liverpool record

6

NR

Kylian is back: Mbappe shines as Real Madrid beat Sevilla in six-goal thriller at Bernabeu

7

KI

How many records? Salah among history makers in Spurs-Liverpool thriller

8

HM

A favour from an enemy: Liverpool receive huge title boost as Everton hold Chelsea

9

AF

Old Trafford shocker: Man United suffer horrifying home loss to Bournemouth

10

OT


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .