Senegal have a plan to contain rampaging striker Erling Haaland but coach Pape Thiaw says World Cup Group I rivals Norway have several other threats as he promised his side would “die for Africa” in search of three points in New Jersey on Monday.
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Senegal started their campaign with a 3-1 loss to pool favourites France and Thiaw knows another defeat will make progression to the round of 32 difficult, even with a final fixture against less fancied Iraq to come.
Norway were thumping 4-1 winners against the Iraqis, with Haaland on the scoresheet twice, but Thiaw says it would be a mistake to focus on the striker alone.
“It is not an anti-Haaland plan, it is an anti-Norway plan,” Thiaw told reporters on Sunday. “We have defenders that have played in high-level competitions who have come across strikers of this calibre before.
“When we come up against Haaland, we need to be on our guard. But most important is how we stop the Norwegian team as a whole.”
Thiaw says Senegal were under no illusions as to their task
before the tournament began, and while the France result is a
setback, they have two more ‘finals’ to play.
“We are in a tough group, we knew this coming in,” he said.
“All three games are like finals, we have lost the first one but
there is still everything to play for.
“But we cannot get this wrong (against Norway), everyone is
ready and wants to get stuck in and put in a good shift. We are
ready to die for Africa and Senegal.”
Senegal have not kept a clean sheet at the World Cup in any
of their last 12 matches, since they famously defeated France on
their tournament debut in 2002.
“It is true we have conceded a lot of goals. There is no
room for error anymore,” Thiaw said.
He also confirmed that his long-running jousting with the
Senegalese Football Federation over a new contract has been
settled.
“The problem has been fixed. It took too long, and it was
not a money issue but a principles and respect one,” he said.
Thiaw also batted away questions over alleged player
dissatisfaction with the conditions at their training camp in
New Brunswick.
“It is true there have been a couple of creases that need to
be ironed out, but whether it is from the players’ side, the
staff or the FA, we are all focused on the game tomorrow,” he
said.
Source: Khaleej Times