New Jersey [US], June 23 (ANI): Following their loss to Norway, Senegal’s head coach, Pape Bouna Thiaw, admitted that while the team is not in a great position, “they are not dead” and can progress into the round of 32 if they win their last fixture against Iraq and other results go in their favour.
Haaland’s brace sank Senegal to a 3-2 defeat against Norway, making it two defeats in two games. Senegal’s last match is against Iraq.
France and Norway, having won both of their matches, enjoy the position of comfort with six points each. Senegal’s best bet now is to take one of the eight slots for the best third-placed finishing teams, and they need to beat Iraq in their last league stage game for that.
Speaking about their prospects in the tournament, Thiaw said, as quoted by Reuters, “We have got one match to go, and we need to focus on this last game, and try it and get three points and then cross our fingers,” Thiaw said.
“I think it is a little bit too early to say that we failed. We are not dead. We are not in a good position, and it is true that it is the first time that Senegal has started a World Cup campaign with two defeats.”
“But we have still got a chance to qualify, and we are going to focus on the last game. We want to try and get those three points and hope that we can go through. Once you are in the next round, then it’s another tournament that starts,” he added.
Haaland continued his prolific run at the FIFA World Cup, scoring twice as Norway edged Senegal 3-2 to secure a place in the Round of 32 after a hard-fought Group I encounter at the New York New Jersey Stadium.
Marcus Pedersen had given Norway the lead late in the first half before Haaland struck twice after the break. Senegal mounted a spirited fightback through Ismaila Sarr, who scored both goals for his side, but Norway held on to claim a crucial victory.
Norway started brightly, earning four corners within the opening four minutes and nearly taking the lead when Kristoffer Ajer’s header was comfortably saved by Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. Martin Odegaard also came close, but his effort was denied by Mendy.
The breakthrough arrived in the 44th minute when Pedersen, who had replaced the injured Julian Ryerson earlier in the match, capitalised on a loose clearance from Kalidou Koulibaly and fired the ball past Mendy to hand Norway the advantage.
Haaland, who had a relatively quiet opening half, almost doubled Norway’s lead before the break but struck the post after rounding the goalkeeper. The striker, however, made no mistake three minutes into the second half, finishing off a swift counter-attack after being set up by Odegaard.
Senegal responded strongly and reduced the deficit in the 53rd minute when Sadio Mane found Ismaila Sarr, who beat goalkeeper Orjan Nyland after shrugging off his marker.
Norway restored their two-goal cushion five minutes later as Haaland reacted quickly to Patrick Berg’s low cross and volleyed home off the underside of the crossbar to register his second goal of the evening.
Senegal suffered another setback when Mendy was forced off with an injury, though Pathe Ciss produced a vital goal-line clearance to deny Oscar Bobb from extending Norway’s lead.
Pape Thiaw’s men continued to push forward and pulled one back in stoppage time through Sarr’s second goal of the match. The forward had one final opportunity to salvage a point for Senegal, but his late header sailed over the bar as Norway held on for a narrow victory and confirmed their place in the knockout stage. (ANI)
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