When everything looked like a performance-based 0-0, Frenkie de Jong had an idea. The Netherlands playmaker, who had squandered his side’s best chance in the first half, found himself suddenly without an opponent. That was unusual because the Senegalese had worked hard on De Jong in particular throughout the game. But in the 85th minute nobody was there, de Jong looked, saw Cody Gakpo and crossed perfectly to his head. Édouard Mendy, still world goalkeeper in 2021, missed the ball in flight, he didn’t look good doing it, just like he didn’t look good in the very late 2-0: Davy Klaassen converted the final score in the 98th minute after Mendy shot from Memphis Depay high five forward.
Mendy’s mistakes were one factor in what was otherwise a very close game, the other factor was a typical Louis van Gaal idea. Because the Bond coach put a man named Andries Noppert in his team’s goal. At the age of 28, he had not made an international match before, and only played 32 games in the Dutch Eredivisie. But he is 2.03 meters tall. And with really every one of his 203 centimeters, the debutant prevented the equalizer to make it 1-1 in the 86th minute when he scraped a shot from Pape Gueye out of the corner.
Both teams start with weak substitutes. You don’t notice that in the game for a long time.
First of all, this game was about who or what was not there. Sadio Mané, Africa’s footballer of the year and Senegal’s best player, was absent after he was injured just before the tournament. The “One Love” captain’s armband was also missing – the Netherlands and their captain Virgil van Dijk also wanted to wear them, but like the six other nations fell under the short-term ban of Fifa. The ailing Memphis Depay, the best striker in the Netherlands, was not there at first, which is why the lesser-known Vincent Janssen (Royal Antwerpen) stormed in the colors of Marco van Basten, Robin van Persie and Ruud van Nistelrooy. He then delivered a performance that did not further contribute to his prominence, after 60 minutes Depay came into play.
The game was also a duel between two coaches, both of whom are special characters in football in their own way. On the one hand, of course, Louis van Gaal, the Bonds coach, present in a suit and orange tie, who again said before the game that his team had a good chance of becoming world champions. “There aren’t many coaches who dare to say that. I do,” added van Gaal, wanting to make sure his confidence got noticed by the journalists.
On the other hand, Aliou Cissé, present in a gray hoodie, baggy gray pants and cap, Senegal’s national coach since 2015 and a folk hero at the very latest since winning the Africa Cup this year. The pictures of Cissé driving through the capital Dakar with the trophy on a bus went around the world.
Ismaila Sarr, English second division player, repeatedly creates dangerous scenes for Senegal.
The first really balanced game of the World Cup developed in the not sold out Al-Thumama Stadium in the south of Doha, and because both teams like to play forward, something happened. Boulaye Dia had Senegal’s first chance straight away, Elftal could have taken the lead three minutes later, Steven Bergwijn just missed putting the ball in and Daley Blind’s header just as narrowly went wide after 17 minutes. Ismaila Sarr, English second division player, repeatedly caused dangerous scenes for Senegal, only van Dijk’s head probably prevented Sarrs’ flicking into the far corner after 25 minutes.
Otherwise, two De Jong scenes shaped the first half. After a counterattack by the Dutchman, he was almost free to finish, but then dribbled and missed the greatest chance. Then he dribbled in his own penalty area and wanted to play a pass through the greatest danger zone right in front of the goal to van Dijk – who didn’t see the risky maneuver coming because of his risk and promptly lost the ball. Senegal did not take the opportunity.
Debutant Noppert initially had little to do, which was also due to the fact that van Gaal sent all his defensive towers onto the field at once. Van Dijk, Bayern’s Matthijs de Ligt and Manchester City’s Nathan Aké formed the central defense because van Gaal lets the Dutch play in a 5-3-2, although the 4-3-3 is actually in the constitution. Maybe that’s why Oranje initially lacked power up front, in the second half van Dijk in particular posed a danger with his 1.93 meters at corners, Senegal also had to cope with the fact that Cheikhou Kouyaté had to be stretchered off the field.
The game ended up being bad news for Qatar as well. The hosts were already overwhelmed against Ecuador, but both Senegal and the Netherlands looked even more competitive than the South Americans on Monday.