Moscow: On their return to the World Cup after 16 years, Senegal started their campaign with a remarkable 2-1 victory over Poland. Thiago Cionek’s own goal with a deflection and Niang’s comfortable goal off a terrible back-pass sealed the win for the Africans. Krychowiak did put the Senegal teSenegaler pressure with his goal in 86th minute, but Senegal managed to run the clock in the stoppage time to take away vital three points in the Group H match.
Here are the updates from the match:
SENEGAL 2-1 Poland!
FULL TIME!
90+2 minute: It will be interesting to see Senegal’s stratergy now, will they waste time with possession?
90+1 minute: Corner for Poland. Can they upset Senegal? Senegal goalkeeper plunges onto the ball. Senegal survive.
4 minutes of Stoppage time.
89 minute: Corner for Senegal!
86 minute: GOAL!!! Krychowiak scores Poland’s first goal with a header onto the right corner, Poland stay alive but they are running out of time.
84 minute: That was close. Senegal player sprints into Poland box but Poland defender slides to clear the ball. Referee disregards the penalty.
8 minutes to go!
80 minute: Senegal could have had their third goal there but Referee calls a handball.
78 minute: Poland are all out attacking but lack quality in the final third. Poland are running out of time.
76 minute: Senegal are defending deep and not allowing the Poland players to move freely up-front.
74 minute: Substitution for Senegal. Konate in for Niang.
73 minute: Substitution for Poland. Kownacki replaces Milik.
66 minute: Corner for Poland. They are clearly frustrated out there. Poland push hard while Senegal are enjoying their fortunes.
Senegal 2-0 Poland!
62 minute: GOAL!! Terrible back pass by a Poland player and Niang scores an easy goal off the error. The goalkeeper was sprinting down but Niang held his nerves to score Senegal’s second goal.
57 minute: Senegal’s Niang does not look comfortable as he stays down.
53 minute: Free-kick to Senegal as Lewandowski brings down a Senegal player.
52 minute: Postive start for Poland in the second-half, but Senegal still hold a slender advantage.
49 minute: SAVED!! Senegal goalkeeper makes a flying save to punch the ball clear off a free-kick from Lewandowski.
48 minute: Yellow card! Senegal’s Sane gets a yellow card for fouling Lewandowski right outside the box. This could be dangerous.
46 minute: Poland’s Błaszczykowski was replaced by Jan Bednarek at half-time.
Second-half is underway
Senegal 1-0 Poland
Half-time!
45+2 minute: Senegal are happy to keep possession. Plenty of things for Poland to think about in the break.
2 minutes of Stoppage time!
Senegal is the first African nation to score a goal in the 2018 World Cup.
42 minute: Senegal are up and attacking Poland with multiple attempts up front.
Senegal 1-0 Poland!
37 minute: GOAL!!! Senegal’s Gueye gives his side the first breakthrough as his shot is deflected into the net by a Poland’s Cionek. OWN GOAL!
35 minute: The tempo of the game has been lifted in the last couple of minutes, Both sides try to make in-roads into the final third.
32 minute: Two Poland player converge together on the ball off a cross from the Senegal player. Poland survive.
30 minute: Senegal have been successful in keeping Poland’s Lewandowski quiet in the first 30 minutes of the game. He has had only one touch in the Senegal box so far.
29 minute: Poland player shoots an air-pass but Senegal goalkeeper was quick to gather the ball. Senegal are forcing Poland to operate in the midfield.
28 minute: Poland and Senegal are settling in but the tempo of the game has gone down.
Possession
Poland– 60 percent
Senegal– 40 percent
23 minute: Poland’s Lewandowski shoots the ball wide, both sides need a little spark of inspiration in the final third.
21 minute: There have been no efforts on target so far from both the teams. Poland forwards do not look comfortable and messing up with their passes up-front.
17 minute: MISS!! Brilliant play by Senegal. Sabaly opens up the Poland defence with his play but his teammate hits the ball wide.
14 minute: Decent run by Senegal’s Sarr but he goes down on the edge of the box. The referee calls for play on.
13 minute: Corner for Poland. The Poland players need to trust each other with the passes as they are giving away possession in the final third.
11 minute: Free-kick to Senegal. Yellow card! Poland’s Grzegorz Krychowiak gets booked.
10 minute: While Poland display great pace in the early minutes Senegal are pressing hard up-front.
9 minute: Free-kick to Senegal. Poland have not scored for the past five years in their opening matches at a World Cup.
8 minute: That was close! Senegal player manages to keep the ball inside but fails to find a teammate with his cross.
6 minute: Corner for Senegal, poor delivery by Senegal player.
4 minute: Lewandowski threatens Senegal with a run in the left-flank, fails to find space.
2 minute: Both Poland and Senegal are looking good in the opening minutes. There could be an early goal here.
Kick-off
Lineups
Poland XI: Szczesny; Pazdan, Cionek, Piszczek, Krychowiak; Grosicki, Rybus, Blaszczykowski, Zelinski; Milik, Lewandowski.
Senegal XI: K. Ndiaye; Sabaly, Koulibaly, S. Sane, Wague; Gueye, A. Ndiaye; Mane (C), Sarr; Diouf, Niang.
Both teams have a lot of pace in their attacks. While Bayern Munich star Lewandowski will again be the main man for Poland in the upcoming tie despite experiencing a disappointing season in the Champions League with Bayern Munich, their opponents will bank on Liverpool attacker Sadio Mane.
Poland full squad:
Goalkeepers: Bartosz Bialkowski (Ipswich Town), Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea), Wojciech Szczesny (Juventus).
Defenders: Jan Bednarek (Southampton), Bartosz Bereszynski (Sampdoria), Thiago Cionek (SPAL), Kamil Glik (AS Monaco), Artur Jedrzejczyk (Legia Warszawa), Michal Pazdan (Legia Warszawa), Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund).
Midfielders: Jakub Blaszczykowski (VfL Wolfsburg), Jacek Goralski (Ludogorets Razgrad), Kamil Grosicki (Hull City), Grzegorz Krychowiak (West Bromwich Albion), Rafal Kurzawa (Gornik Zabrze), Karol Linetty (Sampdoria), Slawomir Peszko (Lechia Gdansk), Maciej Rybus (Lokomotiv Moscow), Piotr Zielinski (Napoli).
Forwards: Dawid Kownacki (Sampdoria), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich), Arkadiusz Milik (Napoli), Lukasz Teodorczyk (Anderlecht)
Senegal full squad:
Goalkeepers: Abdoulaye Diallo (Rennes/FRA), Alfred Gomis (SPAL/ITA), Khadim Ndiaye (Horoya/GUI)
Defenders: Saliou Ciss (Valenciennes/FRA), Lamine Gassama (Antalyaspor/TUR), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli/ITA), Kara Mbodj (Anderlecht/BEL), Youssouf Sabaly (Bordeaux/FRA), Salif Sane (Hanover/GER), Moussa Wague (Eupen/BEL)
Midfielders: Idrissa Gueye (Everton/ENG), Cheikhou Kouyate (West Ham Utd/ENG, capt), Pape Alioune Ndiaye (Stoke City/ENG), Alfred Ndiaye (Wolverhampton Wanderers/ENG), Cheikh Ndoye (Birmingham City/ENG), Ismaila Sarr (Rennes/FRA)
Forwards: Mame Biram Diouf (Stoke/ENG), Balde Keita (Monaco/FRA), Moussa Konate (Amiens/FRA), Sadio Mane (Liverpool/ENG), Mbaye Niang (Torino/ITA), Diafra Sakho (Rennes/FRA), Moussa Sow (Bursaspor/TUR)
Source: Zee News