The biggest sporting event in the world continues with the Group A Senegal v Netherlands clash that sees the African Champions from 2021 up against a star-studded European heavyweight who we have tipped to finish in the top four.
With so many games and so little time, our Group A Senegal v Netherlands Match Centre tries to sum it all up as quickly as possible before and after the game. We watch and follow the game so you don’t have to.
With answers to the key questions prior to the match and our Minutes that Mattered summary and stats post game, it is a real Who Cares guide to the 2022 World Cup for the person on the go.
Enjoy the Group A Senegal v Netherlands Match Centre.
KICKOFF – MONDAY 21st NOV – 19:00 (QATAR) 16:00 (UK) 03:00 (AEDT)
Group A Senegal v Netherlands Match Review
Netherlands needed two late second half goals to overcome a determine Senegal in their opening Group A clash.
Minutes that Mattered
Welcome to the briefest of match summaries, like a minute by minute you find on professional websites except one that has only the minutes that matter. All wheat, no chaff.
And if the below isn’t enough, for those in Australia you can catch up via the SBS World Cup on Demand.
1′ Min Senegal are on the attack nice and early and earn themselves a corner after just 50 seconds. It ultimately comes to nothing, but a bright enough start for the African side.
4′ Min Netherlands have a decent early chance themselves, with a cross rolling through the Senegal penalty area without an available Dutch attacker.
6′ Min There has been some fantastic over reaction to the slightest of contact already, so for fans of our Klinsmann Trophy, we think it will be a competitive game.
9′ Min Couple more half chances for Senegal with a missed cross and another Ismaila Sarr missing by plenty, just like he did when he was in our Fantasy Premier League side. A subsequent attack was ruled offside too. Senegal were for sure the more attacking team to start with.
16′ Min Best chance for Netherlands so far with Blind getting a header away close to the goal but it goes wide.
19′ Min They blow a better chance a few minutes later breaking from a Senegal corner. Why Frenkie de Jong doesn’t shoot first time after a squared ball is beyond us, but probably cost the Dutch a goal.
21′ Min Netherlands have a free kick right on the edge of the Senegal penalty area, the free kick is good enough but they can’t quite get the right contact on it. Similar to a few minutes later from a corner for Netherlands, with Virgil van Dijk getting good contact on a header but the direction was off.
39′ Min After both sides attack without really threatening Netherlands go close with a shot going just over the bar. And Senegal too get a half decent chance.
40′ Min As above Senegal are given a free kick deep inside the Dutch territory, after contact that would generously described as wouldn’t hurt a flea’s baby. Senegal’s free kick goes nowhere and this game is destined for a draw at the break.
Don’t let the socre line fool you, it was an attacking enough half from both sides, but neither side could take advantage, with the Dutch chances arguably the better ones.
HALF TIME – SENEGAL 0 NETHERLANDS 0
49′ Min The best attacking raid of the second half so far for Netherlands ends in a corner, which ends in a familiar first half outcome. Another corner a few minutes later for Netherlands sees a van Dijk header going just over the bar. The game is creeping closer to a goal.
58′ Min Senegal’s best chance of the second half so far goes begging after a great through ball into the penalty area was just out of reach for the chasing Dutch player.
60′ Min Memphis Depay is warming up on the sidelines. Good. Not only for our Fantasy team, but this game needs a Depay to break through. He enters the game a few minutes later.
65′ Min Dia’s sharp shot on goal forces a saves out of the Dutch keeper. By our records that could be the first shot on target for the game.
68′ Min Kouyaté is stretchered off the field with a leg injury. The poor guy is a bit unlucky as replays shows he received a full open palm to his Jatz Crackers as well.
72′ Min Senegal’s Dana rifles a shot at Dutch keeper, who manages to save it by being exactly where the ball was flying to. It would have been a super goal if directed a few inches either side. Although it wouldn’t have been a goal, as offside was awarded anyway. Senegal are starting to look like the side most likely to score now as the clock ticks down.
83′ Min GOOOOOOOOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL FOR NETHERLANDS
The Dutch are the ones to break the deadlock and it is their young star Cody Gakpo who gets the goal. A curling cross from Frenkie de Jong into the middle of the penalty box is met by Gakpo who just beats the Senegalese keeper to the ball, and he buries the header into the back of the net. On second watching it appears to come off the back of his head. Either way the goal will do.
SENEGAL 0 NETHERLANDS 1
85′ Min Senegal go close to replying, forcing a save from the Dutch keeper, then earning themselves a few corners in the subsequent minutes too, but no goals despite the effort.
90′ Min Eight minutes of additional time is added. Plenty of time for an equaliser….
90′ +9 Min GOOOOOOOOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL FOR NETHERLANDS
A long ball from the keeper finds it way quickly to Memphis Depay who has his shot saved but it bounces back to a waiting Klassen who puts away the easy chance to double the Dutch lead late.
SENEGAL 0 NETHERLANDS 2
Final Score
NETHERLANDS 2
Gakpo 83′ Klassen 90′ +9
SENEGAL 0
HT 0-0
Player of the Match
Ismaila Sarr or Frenkie de Jong.
Points of Interest
- FIFA should introduce a shot clock for taking free kicks. Seriously, how long do we need to wait around for a free kick to be taken. Two, three minutes? Need to speed it up, otherwise the broadcasters might work out they can put another bloody McDonalds ad in the coverage.
- Solid enough showing from the Dutch who are favourites to top the group, and this could arguably be their hardest game.
- Senegal weren’t too far away though, but the loss means they will need to beat Ecudaor, and of course we are dismissing Qatar after their woeful first up effort.
Group A Senegal v Netherlands Match Stats
Group A Senegal v Netherlands Starting Teams
SENEGAL (4-2-3-1)
GK 16 Mendy
DEF 21 Sabaly
DEF 3 Koulibaly
DEF 4 Cissé
DEF 22 Diallo
MID 8 Kouyaté
MID 6 Mendy
MID 15 Diatta
MID 5 Gueye
MID 18 Sarr
FWD 9 Dia
TEAM (3-4-1-2)
GK 23 Noppert
DEF 3 de Ligt
DEF 4 van Dijk
DEF 5 Aké
MID 22 Dumfries
MID 11 Berghuis
MID 21 de Jong
MID 17 Blind
FWD 8 Gakpo
FWD 18 Janssen
FWD 7 Bergwijn
Group A Senegal v Netherlands Match Preview
Why should you care?
If we honest, this looks to be the pick for quality games in Group A, and that was with Sadio Mane playing.
Holland are one of the dark horses for the tournament according to us, we have them making it all the way to the semi finals.
With a good mix of Dutch League talent and others from Europe’s biggest clubs, the Dutch should at least play some decent football.
And always good to see the first African team in action for the World Cup.
Who should you care about?
It will be interesting to see if Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk is as terrible for the Netherlands as he has been for his Premier League side.
Also Memphis Depay is an excitement machine who seems to love the World Cup stage.
And Cody Gakpo is a young forward being chased by plenty of big clubs around Europe and could be a good cheapie for your Fantasy teams.
Of course we would have said Sadio Mane for Senegal, but he has been ruled out of the tournament, denting their hopes in a group that gave them a big chance to progress. But they still have good players and one in particular we quite like in Watford’s Ismaila Sarr. Despite the attentions of big clubs in Europe, Sarr hasn’t moved yet, but a good World Cup and getting among the goals for Senegal will help.
Senegal also have Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy, so maybe won’t be that easy to score against. He may not be Chelsea’s first pick right now, but he should be for Senegal. Although his African Cup of Nations form was better.
Full 2022 World Cup Squads & Stats
Is there a barely interesting fact?
Netherlands have played African nations at the World Cup three times, and have won three times by the score (2-1).
Who will win?
Senegal 0 Netherlands 3
Full 2022 World Cup Predictions
Group A Senegal v Netherlands Match Review
Minutes that Mattered
Welcome to the briefest of match summaries, like a minute by minute except one that has only the minutes that matter.
Stay tuned after the match.
Group A Senegal v Netherlands Match Stats
Coming after the match.
