For some, mostly from Africa, the 2022 FIFA World Cup officially starts today when Senegal take on the Netherlands at the Al Thumama Stadium starting at 7 PM EAT.Both teams will be jostling for maximum points in what seems to be the toughest encounter in Group A currently being led by Ecuador following their 2-0 win over host Qatar on Sunday evening.The Lions of Teranga were dealt a blow earlier with Bayern Munich forward Sadio Mane ruled out of the tournament due to an injury he sustained against Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga earlier this month and he has since been replaced with 20-year-old Anderlecht defender Moussa Ndiaye.Aliou Cisse’s side come into the game boasting of six clean sheets in their last eight competitive matches proving to be the bedrock of their recent Africa Cup of Nations success and qualification for the World Cup.##NAJAVA_MECA_6824770##However, they are poised to feel the heat on the absence of the former Liverpool man who scored two winning penalties against Egypt to seal Senegal’s first-ever AFCON triumph as well as cement their place in Qatar earlier this year, with only Ismaila Sarr and Famara Diedhiou in double figures for goals scored (10 apiece) for their national team.The Dutch failed to qualify for the World Cup in Russia in 2018 but the three-time runners-up are back in business under veteran manager Louis van Gaal, who led the team to the semi-finals in 2014.”We have to believe in our qualities and ourselves and be confident,” said centre-back Virgil van Dijk as quoted on AFP.New Sadio Mane is a left back from AnderlechtAlthough CIsse will be without Mane, he remains upbeat ahead of their opening match and has urged the young guns to step up.”First of all, I’m sad for the boy, for Sadio Mane, and then for the national team, but of course it’s his health that counts. Of course we won’t hide the importance of Sadio Mane for the Senegalese team — he’s very important, a coach builds his team around his best players. But there’s also a group here with experienced players, with young players ready to step up. We’ve had to play matches before without Sadio Mane.” Cisse said.Can the Mane-less Teranga Lions reach the 2022 World Cup knockout stage?23-year-old Krepin Diatta is poised to be one of the young players who could step up to fill the void left by the talisman.The Netherlands will also be without their own attacking talisman, too, with Memphis Depay ruled out of at least their opening match due to a hamstring injury.Denzel Dumfries is also doubtful after being forced off during Inter Milan’s Serie A fixture against Atalanta last week, with Marten de Roon unlikely to be available either having missed that match entirely with a back issue.As such, Jeremie Frimpong and Vincent Janssen may be handed opportunities from the start, although van Gaal could utilize three central midfielders with Cody Gakpo and Steven Bergwijn forming a front two.
