Senegal became the first African team to secure and record their thrilling victory at the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018. The Lions of Teranga mauled Poland 2-1 at Moscow’s Spartak Stadium.
The West African country won their opening World Cup match in Japan/Korea in the 2002 edition and proceeded to the quarterfinals. It now remains to be seen if they will repeat their feat after making a meal of the Poles last night 20 June 2018.
#POLSEN – RESULT:
AFRICA have their first WIN at the 2018 FIFA #WorldCup
Niang's second half goal seals the win for #SEN against #POL#SSFootball pic.twitter.com/d2aiqy2o2O— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) June 19, 2018
Senegal took the lead through a deflected Thiago Cionek’s own goal and a terrible error by Polish keeper Wojciech Szczesny 37 minutes into the game. West Bromwich Albion midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak got Poland back in the game with an 86th-minute header but Senegal hung and clung on at Moscow’s Spartak Stadium. The speedy Mbaye Niang got in front of his defender, cut the ball away from Szczesny and rolled it into the empty net on 60-minutes mark and the Juventus goalkeeper had a moment he would rather forget. The goal bought a fever pitch celebrations among the Senegalese players and pessimism on Poland’s squad.
The Lions of Teranga are sitting on top of Group H with three points, along with Japan who also thrashed Colombia by the same score line yesterday. Africa was agonised after Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria and Tunisia all lost their opening games. The Polish side failed to rip apart the Senegalese team with a well-drilled defence marshalled by Kalidou Koulibaly.
“I’m satisfied with my players, really proud of them. I think they arrived with a lot of determination, they have worked hard,” said Senegal coach Aliou Cisse.
“I think it is really a generation that deserves a lot of credit and respect.”
#SEN WIN!@FootballSenegal record Africa's first victory of the 2018 FIFA #WorldCup with a 2-1 victory over #POL! #POLSEN pic.twitter.com/CaY90Icim1
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018
Led by the mercurial talents of Liverpool superstar winger Sadio Mané, the 2018 Lions boast an affluence of elite players from Europe’s leading football clubs. Kalidou Koulibaly of SSC Napoli is one of the game’s most influential defenders, and Keita Baldé Diao is a promising star of the future at AS Monaco.
Midfielders Idrissa Gueye, Cheikhou Kouyaté and Badou Ndiaye are all established at English Premier League clubs. There is a very true sense that this team can achieve fruitful results at this World Cup, perhaps even emulating their illustrious predecessors who went as far as quarterfinals during the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan/Korea.
The Lions of Teranga have made the kill and tasted blood. Can The Pride sustain the roar and instill fear at the Russian Jungle?
It remains to be seen; however football will continue to bring about cohesion and togetherness among the human race globally.
In other results yesterday; Japan beat Columbia 2-1 and Russia stamped their home ground authority by beating Egypt 3-1.