Senegal coach Pape Thiaw says his side has devised a strategy to contain Norway striker Erling Haaland but insists the Scandinavian side possesses enough quality across the pitch to demand a broader tactical approach.
The Teranga Lions head into their crucial World Cup Group I clash in New Jersey under pressure after opening their campaign with a 3-1 defeat to tournament favourites France. Another loss could severely dent their hopes of reaching the Round of 32, despite having Iraq left to play.
While Haaland scored twice in Norway’s emphatic 4-1 victory over Iraq, Thiaw cautioned against focusing solely on the Manchester City forward, stressing that Senegal must find a way to neutralise the entire Norwegian team.
“It is not an anti-Haaland plan, it is an anti-Norway plan,” Thiaw told reporters on Sunday. “We have defenders that have played in high-level competitions who have come across strikers of this calibre before.
“When we come up against Haaland, we need to be on our guard. But most important is how we stop the Norwegian team as a whole.”
Thiaw says Senegal were under no illusions as to their task before the tournament began, and while the France result is a setback, they have two more ‘finals’ to play.
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“We are in a tough group, we knew this coming in,” he said. “All three games are like finals, we have lost the first one but there is still everything to play for.
“But we cannot get this wrong (against Norway), everyone is ready and wants to get stuck in and put in a good shift. We are ready to die for Africa and Senegal.”
Senegal have not kept a clean sheet at the World Cup in any of their last 12 matches, since they famouslydefeated France on their tournament debut in 2002.
“It is true we have conceded a lot of goals. There is no room for error anymore,” Thiaw said.
He also confirmed that his long-running jousting with the Senegalese Football Federation over a new contract has been settled.
“The problem has been fixed. It took too long, and it was not a money issue but a principles and respect one,” he said.
