Matches of the day
The 2022 African champion, Senegal, begins its World Cup against one of the big outsiders, the Netherlands this Monday (5 p.m.).
The Oranje were one of the big absentees from the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Senegal had to collect the package from its star and 2nd in the Ballon d'Or 2022, striker Sadio Mané, a few days ago.
Before and after this match, Group B will begin: England must assume their status as European vice-champions against Iran (2 p.m.) while the United States are up against Wales (8 p.m.) in a relatively homogeneous hen.
To discover
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Full World Cup match schedule
Broadcast times and channels
England - Iran (Group B): 2 p.m. (beIN Sports 1)
Senegal - Netherlands (Group A): 5 p.m. (beIN Sports 1)
United States – Wales (Group B): 8 p.m. (TF1, beIN Sports 1)
Gael Danic's predictions
Former attacking midfielder (Troyes, Valenciennes, Bastia, Lyon, Rennes...) and ex-French U20 international, Gaël Danic has 340 matches in Ligue 1.
England – Iran
: England win
"A very big football nation unlike its opponent."
Senegal – Netherlands
: draw
“There is always a surprising score in the first rounds, and I think it can come from this game.
The Netherlands never dominate their matches both in terms of play and content.
An African team, especially like Senegal (winner of the CAN last February), is always hard to handle.
United States – Wales
: victory for Wales
“In the last matches, against very high quality opponents, they managed to be very robust and hard to handle.
Unlike the United States.”
The news of the Blues
The day after the departure of Karim Benzema, package and who will not be replaced, the France team keeps its routine.
The daily press conference will however be brought forward: 10 a.m. metropolitan France time (12 p.m. in Qatar).
The coach, Didier Deschamps, and his captain Hugo Lloris will be present.
There will be training in the evening, the first 15 minutes of which will be open to the media, at the Jassim-bin-Hamad stadium.
A stadium located in Doha and that the Blues will occupy throughout the competition.
statement of the day
Louis van Gaal, Netherlands coach: “
The first match is always the most important, it sets the tone for the rest of the tournament.
Senegal is an African champion who dismissed Egypt, it is not just any opponent.
We don't have (Memphis) Depay, he's not going to play, they don't have Sadio Mané, so we have to see how the two teams will handle this situation.
»
The player to watch: Ismaïla Sarr (Senegal)
Holder in 6 of the last 7 matches of Senegal, including the victorious final at the CAN on February 6 (0-0, 4-2 on penalties), Ismaïla Sarr could be the hero of a team orphan of his jewel, his prophet, striker Sadio Mané.
Revealed in Metz then in Rennes, Sarr is a disconcerting and hard-hitting winger, who was able to confirm at Watford.
He made one of his most prolific debuts in the English D2 season (17 matches, 6 goals, 3 assists).
At 24, he has 45 caps for 10 goals with the Teranga Lions.
He is the kind of player who can destabilize the Dutch organization and sublimate himself at a World Cup.
Ismaïla Sarr with Senegal against Iran in a friendly match in September 2022. GEPA pictures/ Johannes Friedl / PANORAMIC
The expression of the day: the blow of the scarf
The scarf kick is a way of kicking the ball by passing the foot behind the supporting leg.
Its name is explained by the resemblance of the two feet side by side and crossed with that of a scarf.
In the Spanish language, this is called a “rabona”.
Its origin dates back to 1948, and its paternity is attributed to Ricardo Infante, striker of Estudiantes de La Plata, scorer with this gesture.
In Argentina, “hacerse la rabona” can be translated as “skipping school”.
What “
fitted like a glove to Infante, author of an act of rebellion by refusing to strike with his weak foot
”, relates Fifa on its official site.
Italian Giovanni Roccotelli popularized the neckerchief trick in the 1970s.
SEE ALSO
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Lamela's scarf goal at Arsenal-Tottenham in March 2021 (2-1)
