Qatar and Senegal will square against each other in desperation to get off the mark in the 2022 World Cup after losing their opening games.
The hosts produced a forgettable performance in the 2-0 loss to Ecuador in the tournament opener while Senegal’s resilient effort bore no fruits as they lost out to the Netherlands in the final period of the game.
QAT vs SEN Match Details
Date: Friday, 25 November 2022
Time: 16:00 (AST) / 18:30 (IST)
Venue: Al Thumama Stadium, Al Thumama
QAT vs SEN Match Preview
12 years of preparing for the World Cup with a six months training camp prior to the event did not help Qatar as they got to understand the pressure of being on this global stage. Very much laying down the arms in the 2-0 down to Ecuador and seeing their supporters leaving empty seats at the hour mark, the host will have to be analytical about their poor display. The scoreline could have looked far worse if goals were not disallowed or the chances that should have been taken by the South American nation. The Maroons also became the first host nation in World Cup history to lose their opening match. Not only that, they became the first hosts not to have shot on target in a match at the finals since the USA failed to do so in their last 16 defeat to Brazil in 1994. A historic evening for the nation that was not celebratory in terms of results. Qatar faces Senegal and Netherlands in the next two games of the group stages and the fear of ending at the bottom of the pile starts to lurk. Coach Felix Sanchez has to rethink his plans to organize his defense side by side constructing the toothless attack. Above all, they have to find the mentality to withstand the force of the opposition belonging to a different league. Another defeat will surely ring the early elimination bell for the hosts. To avoid that, Qatar have to show their status as Asian champions and a genuine competitor now that they have experienced the stature of the competition.
Aliou Cisse's Senegal will feel hard done by the 2-0 defeat in the opening group stage game after holding the Dutch until the 84th minute. Many will argue that the AFCON champions were the better side for the most part but missed their talismanic figure Sadio Mane to get them over the line. The Bayern Munich winger was initially selected despite suffering a leg injury with Bayern Munch only a week ago from the tournament. Later, surgery became the only option and he is now ruled out. Senegal created decent chances in the match but all of their three shots on target were saved by the Netherlands number one Andries Noppert. While their shot-stopper Edouard Mendy made huge errors for two goals conceded. First, he did not come out quick enough to prevent Cody Gakpo from getting his head to a Frenkie de Jong’s pass and secondly fail to stick the ball out of danger from Memphis Depay’s saved shot that rebounded for Davy Klassen to score. Cisse will be relieved that their second match in the group stages won’t lend them a tricky fixture again. Against Qatar, he will want Senegal to rebound from the defeat. At the same time, the African nation have to put all their gears now to get the result to prepare themselves for what must be a second-place showdown with Ecuador. La Tri are set to play the Netherlands in the other match with Senegal wanting the European nation to gain the upper hand.
QAT vs SEN Team News
Both teams have decisions to make in the goalkeeping ranks as neither shot-stopper looked comfortable in the opening match. For Qatar, Saad Al Sheeb looked shaky and gave away a penalty for the opening goal of the tournament. He could be replaced by Meshaal Barsham who has shared his duties with Sheeb in pre-tournament friendlies. A host of players got bookings in the first match giving Felix Sanchez a headache to select them again but he has no option in that regard. Captain Hassan Al Haydos is set to earn his 171st cap for the hosts.
For Senegal, they have the same conundrum with Edouard Mendy as he is set to be replaced by Queens Park Rangers' Seny Dieng. Defender Abdou Diallo went down with a muscle problem in the first group stage game but has immediately returned to the training sessions. The RB Leipzig player will continue from the start in the left-back position again. He is filling in for the injured Fode Ballo-Toure. However, Cheikhou Kouyate is not so lucky as he will be unavailable after being stretched off the field with a possible muscle injury.
QAT vs SEN Predicted Lineups
QAT: Meshaal Barsham; Pedro Miguel, Boualem Khoukhi, Tarek Salman, Abdelkarim Hassan, Homam Elamin; Al Haydos, Karim Boudiaf, Abdulaziz Hatem; Almoez Ali, Akram Afif
SEN: Seny Dieng; Youssouf Sabaly, Kalidou Koulibaly, Pape Cisse, Abdou Diallo; Idrissa Gueye, Nampalys Mendy, Moussa N’Diaye; Ismalia Sarr, Boulaye Dia, Krepin Diatta
QAT vs SEN Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Dieng (7)
DEF: Diallo (7.5), Khoukhi (8.5), Koulibaly (8.5), Hassan (8)
MID: Gueye (7), Diatta (8.5), Al-Haydos (9)
FW: A Ali (8.5), Dia (8), Sarr (9)
Vice-captain: Idrissa Gueye
Captain: Ismalia Sarr
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