Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw says beating France in this evening’s match in a Group I encounter will not be a ‘shocker’, as the West African nation has the players capable of doing so.
This will be the second meeting between the two sides, with the Teranga Lions ready to reignite their 2002 memories when they shocked Les Bleus 1-0 in the Korea-Japan co-hosted edition.
Speaking in a pre-match conference, Thiaw states that the team’s track record in both the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) speaks volumes about their capabilities to beat any team.
He added that he doesn’t believe in surprise results, as all teams have worked hard to earn a spot at the tournament.
“Would it be a surprise if Senegal were to beat France? For me, no. Because we have world-class players in this team. We’ve qualified for the last three World Cups in a row. In recent editions of the AFCON, we’ve reached three finals out of four. So, for me, it wouldn’t be a surprise,” Thiaw said.
Thiaw also urged a one-match focused approach, adding that the Teranga Lions are going into the match with the intention to collect maximum points.
“I know how hard my team works. We take things one match at a time. We’re going to play very difficult matches against very good teams, especially considering the quality of the teams in our group. This is a World Cup, and I believe every team here has earned its place. In football, I don’t like talking about surprises. Teams have worked hard to be here, and we’re going to play every match with the intention of winning it,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Didier Deschamps said that the 2022 finalists are going out for a positive start, stating, “It’s important, very important, because it’s the first match, but that’s true for every team in the competition. After that, no, it’s not decisive, because there are still two more matches to play.”
He added, “Even statistically, the last world champion lost its opening match. That didn’t stop them from becoming world champions. But ideally, starting with a win in a four-team group is the best possible scenario. That’s always the objective when approaching the first match.”
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