Qatar and Senegal face-off with both looking to get their first point(s) on the board, after losing their opening game.
Qatar came to the World Cup, or rather invited us to the World Cup, with lots of promises on and off the field, none of which have been kept. On the pitch, we expected a more coherent Qatar team capable of holding their own, but if the opening game against Ecuador is anything to go by, beer ban is not the only thing unentertaining about Qatar.
Senegal on the other hand held the mantle as the strongest of the five african teams in the tournament and the most likely to advance deep into the competition, but after losing Mane to injury, Mendy to form, and two goals to Netherlands, this game becomes more important for any knockout stage ambitions they might have.
Head-to-head
Friday’s tie at the Al Thumama Stadium would be the first official meeting between both teams, Match form.
Both teams lost their world cup opening game.
Players to watch
Villarreal’s Boulaye Dia having assumed Sadio Mane’s role as the teams main source for goals would be looking to pose the type of threat Enner Valencia carried against the Qatari backline.
Ismaila Sarr was the best player in attack for Senegal against Netherland, a huge thorn in the side of Denzel Dumfries and Matthijs Deligt, against a much weaker Qatari defence, he is one to look out for.
Hassan Al-Haydos was part of the Al Saad squad that won the Asian Cup in 2019, he and Akram Afif, who has played for teams in Europe are worth paying attention to in that Qatari side.
Prediction
Senegal are the much stronger team, and would prove too much to handle for Qatar, the prediction is a win for Senegal, all but confirming a very short trip home for Qatar.
Pulse
