Senegal v Netherlands 0-2: World Cup 2022 – as it happened
All the updates from Monday’s World Cup match between the Netherlands and Senegal at Qatar’s Al Thumama Stadium.
This blog is now closed, thanks for joining us. These were the updates on the World Cup 2022 match between Senegal and the Netherlands on Monday, November 21.
This blog is now closed, thanks for joining us. These were the updates on the World Cup 2022 match between Senegal and the Netherlands on Monday, November 21.
- Senegal and the Netherlands head into this fixture high on confidence after a string of promising recent performances.
- The Teranga Lions won their maiden Africa Cup of Nations title earlier this year.
- The Netherlands topped the Nations League group and notched two morale-boosting wins against Belgium.
- The match will be played at Al Thumama Stadium.
- FIFA ranking: Senegal (18); the Netherlands (8)
- Live updates
- Match stats
- Lineups
That’s all from us
So the Netherlands mark their return to the World Cup after eight years with a win. Senegal weren’t at their best, but they should find easier opposition in Ecuador and Qatar in their remaining group fixtures.
You can read the report from this Group A encounter at Al Thumama Stadium here.
All attention now turns to the Group B encounter between the USA and Wales. You can find the live blog for that game here.
Netherlands fans satisfied with the result
The orange army are happy with the result but know it was not a stellar performance from their team.
“I thought it will be easy, but it wasn’t,” fan Ron Tubee told Al Jazeera. “Senegal were very good, very fast, strong and discipline.”
“I think when Depay came on, he turned things around,” Tubee said. “After this game, I think we will be first in the group now.”
It was a match of few clear-cut chances but not short on passion.
“Very close match,” Peter Tobben said. “They didn’t deserve to lose. Our first half performance was slow.”
“They had chances,” he added. “Senegal is very strong team.”
Encouraging signs for Netherlands
In the build-up to the World Cup, Van Gaal talked up his team and said they are better than the 2014 squad that came third. Their opening performance didn’t do much to back up his words, but there are some positives.
Cody Gakpo’s goal, De Jong’s poise in midfield and Noppert’s solid debut are encouraging signs for the Dutch.
Senegal fans are still positive
Despite their team losing 2-0, Senegal’s fans remain upbeat.
“In general, we played a good game,” said Abubakar Thiam, who came from Paris to watch the Teranga Lions play in Qatar. “We have a good team.”
“You know in football you also need luck, and today, we did not have it. We will do better in the next games,” Thiam told Al Jazeera.
A sea of orange
Netherlands not convincing in victory
It would be fair to say that the less worse team won.
The Netherlands should not take a false sense of security from this result.
Overall, underwhelming performance. If they face a team with a competent GK that can finish chances, they will get slaughtered playing this way.
— EiF (@EiFSoccer) November 21, 2022
Senegal is going to be so good when they realize that they’re allowed to shoot on target
— Zito (@_Zeets) November 21, 2022
Klaassen’s goal adds gloss to win
A picture tells a thousands words and all that.
Netherlands up and running
✅ Clean sheet
✅ Three points
Not a bad start to Van Dijk’s World Cup career.
A clean sheet for Van Dijk in his first ever game at a major international tournament 💪🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/idPBUuSCEv
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) November 21, 2022
Full time: Senegal 0-2 Netherlands
Not a classic, but the Netherlands won’t care. They had to work hard for this win, but they begin their World Cup campaign with a victory.
98 mins: Senegal 0-2 Netherlands
Goal for the Netherlands!
Mendy parries Depay’s weak shot, and Davy Klaassen is on hand to turn in the rebound. Poor goalkeeping by the Chelsea man there.
96 mins: Senegal 0-1 Netherlands
It’s all rather scrappy now with the Netherlands winding down the clock and the Senegalese tempers fraying.
It would be reductive to say Senegal has missed Mane, but Senegal has missed Mane.
93 mins: Senegal 0-1 Netherlands
Cody Gakpo is going off for the Netherlands. But he’s done his job. Listen closely and you’ll hear the big clubs of Europe circling around him.
Cody Gakpo (23). His stocks continue to rise. PSV & Holland's talisman. 31 G+A in 25 games. This tournament is his real chance. Huge goal for #NED. pic.twitter.com/5rUGLfbK8Y
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) November 21, 2022
90 mins: Senegal 0-1 Netherlands
Eight minutes of injury time to be played!
88 mins: Senegal 0-1 Netherlands
Senegal showing a sense of urgency here. Diop forces a smart save from Noppert. They’ve won two corners since conceding.
84 mins: Senegal 0-1 Netherlands
Goal for the Netherlands!
Cody Gakpo heads in de Jong’s enticing cross, and the Netherlands have liftoff at the World Cup. Unsurprisingly, it’s created by the best Dutch players of the night.
Orange army
One Dutch fan was talking to Al Jazeera’s Hamza Mohamed at the stadium a few minutes ago:
“Very boring,” Hossam Tagi said, shaking his head. “This is not the Dutch way to play football. We look very nervous.”
“There is mistakes everywhere. We have one big chance and should have taken it.”
Wonder if he still feels the same?
82 mins: Senegal 0-0 Netherlands
Oranje is the new boring?
The Netherlands 🇳🇱 still without a shot on target.
A lot of disappointing performances, DeJong, Gakpo, Bergwijn, Dumfries…
This team badly needs a Robben or Van Persie.— Maximiliano Bretos (@MaxBretosSports) November 21, 2022
77 mins: Senegal 0-0 Netherlands
It’s been a poor half so far. The fluency that marked the first 45 minutes has been lacking.
71 mins: Senegal 0-0 Netherlands
Kouyate is stretchered off after being fouled by de Jong. Papa Alassane Gueye comes on in his place.
De Jong doing a Draymond Green style challenge there… pic.twitter.com/bU6xrqhm5N
— Carl Anka (@Ankaman616) November 21, 2022
Noppert fact
Andries Noppert has now touched the ball twice in this second half.
Noppert, who plays in goal for Dutch team Heerenveen, had considered quitting the game just a few years ago. He was struggling for game time, and his wife wanted him to pack it all in and get a proper job as a police officer.
But the more than 2-metre-tall (six-foot-eight-inch) keeper kept working on his game, and on Monday, the 28-year-old made his debut for the Netherlands national team at the World Cup in Qatar.
The lesson? Stick with your dreams, kids.
69 mins: Senegal 0-0 Netherlands
Substitution for Senegal.
Boulaye Dia comes off and is replaced by Ahmadou Dieng.
65 mins: Senegal 0-0 Netherlands
Finally, some action to report in this tepid second half. Dia gets a smart shot away inside the box, but it’s parried by Dutch keeper Noppert.
De Ligt sees yellow
Dutchman Matthijs de Ligt of Bayern Munich was shown the game’s first yellow card for a 56th minute challenge on Ismaila Sarr.
61 mins: Senegal 0-0 Netherlands
Substitutions for both sides.
Memphis Depay replaces Vincent Janssen for the Netherlands.
Left back Abdou Diallo comes off for Senegal, and Ismail Jakobs takes his place.
An hour played
With 60 minutes on the clock, here are the latest match stats. By the way, you can view live stats and more by clicking on the tabs at the top of the blog text.