Senegal lost at the very end of the match against the Netherlands after a good battle, for their entry into the running in the World Cup.
Deprived of their star Sadio Mané, and not helped by their goalkeeper Edouard Mendy author of a big dumpling, the Teranga Lions did not however deserve.
There is reason to be optimistic for the next match against Qatar, which will already be decisive for qualification.
From our Special Envoy in Doha,
For a long time, we thought we had a 0-0 of those we like to watch, with movement, commitment and a desire to move forward.
And then Frenkie de Jong took out his magic wand to send a remote-controlled balloon over the head of Cody Gakpo, whose superb race and perfect sense of timing we will salute in passing.
Better than that of Edouard Mendy.
Trapped by the middle position of the ball – neither too advanced nor too much towards the cage – the Chelsea goalkeeper made a hole on his exit without conviction.
Mendy surely knew he was late, so he put out his fists for the photo, as if to say “look, I tried”.
A pathology that is usually found more in field players who are too lazy to put their heads in an aerial duel.
On the second goal, the former Rennais was knocked down by a nice strike from Memphis Depay.
Passing through the area, Klaasen finished the job.
2-0, thank you, goodbye.
Football at its most cruel.
The absence of Mané was not felt
“It was a very high level match, very complicated, but rather balanced, in my opinion the score does not reflect the face of the match”, reacted Aliou Cissé in a press conference.
The result that does not reflect the scenario, a great classic of the genre.
Except that for once, it is difficult to prove the Senegalese coach wrong.
Even deprived of Sadio Mané, his team managed to hurt his opponent.
15 shots to 10, 4 on target against 3 for the Netherlands, who scored on their first shot on target.
It would be dishonest to speak of clear domination of the Lions of Teranga, but we can at least say that they deserved better.
Basically, what more did the Dutch have?
In a multiverse where Andries Noppert wasn't as strong, Boulaye Dia and Idrissa Gueye would have come away with one goal each.
Cisse:
“We had two or three opportunities.
But football is about efficiency.
Overall, we have created good situations, we will continue to work to improve these situations.
»
Senegalese remain optimistic
Same analysis on the side of Dia.
"We had a lot of hitting situations where we should have done better but that's how it is, that's the game. We had established a good plan: stay in block and press them at times, we had counters on which they were hurt.
“Not really frustration in the words of the former Stade de Reims striker, rather hope for the future, despite the absence of Sadio Mané, who is necessarily missing.
"We know his qualities, we know what he brings us on and off the pitch," adds Dia.
Yes, we miss him, but we are a collective, 26 players, and we give everything.
»
No fatality or resignation in the words of the former Reims striker.
The content of the match against the Netherlands leads to optimism.
“We had a lot of movement, we did a lot of good things.
We will use the same ingredients to try to win the next match.
“It will be against Qatar.
In the game of first impressions, we don't worry too much about Aliou Cissé's men.
“The second match against Qatar will be very difficult, concludes the coach.
But we have to make sure we win it.
And that can motivate us to have lost.
It wasn't all bad.
Except perhaps Edouard Mendy.
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