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Senegal’s first World Cup since 2002, went off to a perfect start as the Africans defeated Poland 2-1, in their opening Group H encounter at the Spartak Stadium in Moscow on Tuesday.
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The own goal of Thiago Cionek in the first-half set them on their way, before M’Baye Niang made it 2-0 in the 60th minute and although Grzegorz Krychowiak pulled one back four minutes before the final whistle, Senegal held on to eventually come out victorious.
After some passive play from both sides, who focused more on thwarting the opponent’s attacks then creating their own, Idrissa Gueye gave Senegal the lead, when his wayward shot took a massive deflection off Cionek’s legs and into the goal leaving polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny wrongfooted.
Senegal had surprisingly broken the deadlock despite not having a shot on target. In fact until Robert Lewandowski’s curled free-kick in the 50th minute – which was brilliantly saved by Khadim N’Diaye diving to his right – both sides had none. Poland eventually finished with 4 shots on goal, just two more than Senegal, while ‘The Lions of Teranga‘ scored from their first.
Under little pressure and inside their own-half, Krychowiak’s high back pass to an unprepared Jan Bednarek was capitalised by Niang, who beat both the defenders on pace before chipping the ball over a rushing Szczesny and slotting it into an empty net to double the lead for Senegal.
The goal seemed to have sparked some life into the match as Poland hurried for an equaliser. The did find one when Krychowiak headed home from a free-kick. It was however not just sufficient on the night.
But irrespective to the result it was Poland who had began well, drawing a foul as early as the first minute and by the 17th they had 10 more touches on the opposition’s box, than Senegal’s seven. However they failed to make much of it and it wasn’t until the 20th minute that they managed a shot on goal. It sailed above the bar but they had three in succession with Bayern Munich striker Lewandowski coming the closest.
Senegal punching above their weight
Playing their first World Cup after that heroics 12 years ago, when they reached the quarter-finals, defeating France in the group stage and Sweden in the round of 16, before bowing out with a defeat to Turkey in the last eight stage, Senegal once again have started well and may well be on course to another heroism at the grandest stage.
There remains no doubt that they are Africa’s best team at this World Cup and with already three points in their kitty, ‘The Lions of Teranga‘ may well be on course to another knockout stage record.
They next face Japan on June 24 and need just another victory in their next two fixtures against the ‘Samurai Blue‘ and Colombia, to step to the next round.
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