Kalidou Koulibaly will not start for Senegal in their crucial match against Iraq, a surprising decision given his experience. The former Napoli and Chelsea defender, who currently plays for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, had a difficult outing against Norway.
“Every ball I touched went wrong,” he admitted, reflecting on his performance. Consequently, he will begin this game on the bench.
In an interesting twist, we’ve received our first email from John Brennan, humorously titled “Hi Daniel, Not to be too pedantic, and maybe this belong to a rival podcast of Football Weekly, but can we describe Senegal as being neighbors of either Morocco, Cote D’Ivoire or South Africa when they don’t share a border with any of them? “I attended the Iraq v France game and despite the rain, it was a beautiful occasion. The Iraq fans provided plenty of noise and color despite clearly being outclassed (I missed the 2 nd goal as I had turned to the Iraqi sitting beside me to say there was a mistake in there keeper. We agreed the goal wasn’t entirely his fault as the pass from defender was terrible). The highlight for me was on the train to the game seeing an American/Iraqi with his son who was 7/8 years old dressed in their Iraqi shirts carrying Iraqi flags and thinking how rare it must be for them to be able to show their roots without fear in America. As an Irishman in suburban Long Island, I know I can fly an Irish flag outside my house without ant problem. An Iraqi flag? Going by the way some of the people talk here in my town, I wouldn’t recommend it.”. He raises a valid point.
“capable of doing something that will shock the world”
John also shared his experience at the Iraq vs France match, noting that despite the rain, it was a wonderful occasion. The Iraqi fans created a vibrant atmosphere, even when their team struggled on the field. He recalled missing a goal while discussing a goalkeeper’s mistake with a fellow fan, and they concluded it wasn’t entirely the keeper’s fault due to a poor pass from the defender.
He continued, “The highlight for me was on the train to the game, seeing an American/Iraqi with his son, dressed in Iraqi shirts and carrying flags. It’s rare for them to express their roots openly in America. As an Irishman on Long Island, I can proudly display an Irish flag, but I wouldn’t recommend an Iraqi flag based on some of the sentiments I’ve heard around here.”
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, John. As someone from Africa, I resonate with the connection to other African nations. While the spirit of Ubuntu might not be as visible currently in South Africa, I still believe it exists. What truly defines neighbors? Perhaps we are all companions on this floating rock.
Neither squad has managed to keep a clean sheet thus far, although they have faced formidable opponents like Haaland and Mbappé.
Senegal requires at least two goals to boost their chances; a -1 goal difference could suffice for advancement to the knockout stage.
Senegal’s lineup features a 4-3-3 formation: Mory Diaw; Abdoulaye Seck, Ismail Jakobs, Krepin Diatta, Moussa Niakhate; Idrissa Gana Gueye, Lamine Camara, Habib Diarra; Sadio Mane, Ismaila Sarr, Ibrahim Mbaye. Iraq will also field a 4-3-3 formation: Ahmed Basil; Rebin Sulaka, Akam Hashim, Mechas Doski, Frans Putros; Ibrahim Bayesh, Zidane Iqbal, Amir Alammari; Ali Jasim, Ahmed Qasem, Ali Alhamadi.
A remarkable week for African football has unfolded, highlighted by South Africa advancing to the World Cup knockout stages for the first time. Morocco showcased their potential with an impressive victory, and Côte d’Ivoire managed to qualify in second place in a tough group, finishing level on points with Germany.
Despite some dismissive remarks regarding the tactical acumen and skills in African football, Senegal could join the ranks of their regional counterparts with a win today. Although they currently sit without points after defeats to France and Norway, the African champions have displayed flashes of their talent in those encounters.
A win against Iraq would elevate them to three points and improve their goal difference, currently at -3. Currently, Senegal ranks outside the top eight third-placed teams, but a favorable outcome could see them surpass Scotland and South Korea. As per Opta, Senegal has a 56.62% probability of moving forward in the tournament.
However, they must first secure a victory. Iraq is expected to be well-organized and fiercely passionate. Their coach, Graham Arnold, expressed his belief before the tournament that his team could achieve something remarkable. Defeating one of Africa’s top teams would indeed be shocking.
The match is set to kick off at Toronto Stadium at 8 PM BST / 3 PM local time.
Stay tuned for team updates and other developments.
