Senegal Reflect And Remain Confident Ahead Of Qatar Match
After looking good for all but five minutes in their opening match, Senegal remains confident ahead of the game against hosts Qatar. The Lions of Taranga held the Netherlands for more than 80 minutes before succumbing to a flattering 2-0 defeat. The team has a few days to reflect and re-group before the team’s second match at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
“We were beaten. It was a good performance. We just lacked concentration in the last five minutes. I remain confident for the next match,” noted Alassane Ndour.
Those last five minutes were highlighted by errors from goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and sloppy defending, resulting in the Netherlands collecting an undeserved three points in Group A. Senegal must now beat Qatar with a healthy scoreline and make the last match against Ecuador a decider.
“We accept this defeat and now concentrate on the next match,” said striker Ismail Sarr.
Sarr’s sentiments were echoed by the squad captain Kalidou Koulibaly, who stated that nothing had been decided in Group A yet and there was everything to play for in the next two matches.
“We will still have our say in this competition,” stressed coach Aliou Cisse.
Cheikhou Kouyate will not be available for Senegal after hurting his ankle in that defeat, while Abdou Diallo is a big doubt with a muscular problem. Cisse still has enough strength in the Senegal squad to collect all three points against Qatar and kickstart their 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign.
