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Nov 21, 2022 at 4pm UK
 
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World Cup 2022: Reasons for Netherlands to be confident of beating Senegal

Ahead of the World Cup Group A clash between Senegal and Netherlands, Sports Mole looks at reasons for Netherlands to be confident of kicking off their campaign with a win.

After an eight-year absence, Netherlands will return to the World Cup stage when they face Senegal at the Al Thumama Stadium in Qatar on Monday.

Arguably the greatest footballing nation yet to lift the biggest prize of all, Netherlands will be hoping to end their hoodoo - which has seen them lose in the final three times - this winter.

Louis van Gaal's side face a difficult start to their campaign, though, with an opening match against the reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions.

Here, Sports Mole looks are some reasons why the Dutch should be confident of beginning with a victory.



Unbeaten record

Netherlands players pose for a team group photo before the match in September 2022© Reuters

Netherlands have never played Senegal before, but their record against African opposition at the World Cup is so far unblemished with three wins and a draw from their four previous such matches.

Those three wins have all come in their last three such games too, and all by a 2-1 scoreline, with victories over Morocco in 1994, Ivory Coast in 2006 and Cameroon in 2010.

The only African side Netherlands have failed to beat in the World Cup were Egypt in the group stage of the 1990 tournament, when the then-European champions drew all three of their group games.

Holland are also unbeaten in their last eight opening matches at World Cups, winning six and drawing two in a run which stretches back to 1938.

The Dutch were beaten in the opening games at both the 1934 and 1938 editions, but that was before they became a footballing powerhouse and, since returning to the World Cup stage in 1974, they have not lost a curtain-raiser.



Goals are likely

Netherlands' Virgil van Dijk celebrates scoring their first goal in September 2022© Reuters

Both teams will be without their leading scorers - Memphis Depay for Netherlands and Sadio Mane for Senegal - yet goals are still expected.

None of Senegal's eight previous matches at the World Cup have ended goalless, and you have to go back to their first-ever outing on the biggest stage for their only clean sheet in the competition - that famous triumph over France.

Given that Mane's absence has almost halved the number of goals in their squad, with their leading scorers now 10-goal duo Ismaila Sarr and Famara Diedhiou, it looks more likely that any goals will come from Netherlands.

That said, no player in the Dutch squad apart from Depay has reached double figures in terms of goals for their country, so Louis van Gaal will need a new hero to step up.



Good recent World Cup record

Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal before the match in June 2022© Reuters

Netherlands famously missed out in Russia four years ago, but when they have made it to the World Cup, their record is impressive.

Van Gaal led the Oranje to a third-place finish on their last involvement in 2014, only losing their semi-final against Argentina on penalties.

Indeed, excluding penalty shootouts, Netherlands have only lost one of their last 14 World Cup matches - the 2010 final against Spain - and winning 11 of those.

In the group stages, Netherlands have not tasted defeat since 1994, when they lost 1-0 to Belgium.


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Written by
Barney Corkhill
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Netherlands' Virgil van Dijk celebrates scoring their first goal in September 2022
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Tables header RHS

Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Netherlands Netherlands32107
Q Senegal flag Senegal32016
3 Ecuador flag Ecuador31114
4 Qatar Qatar30030

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England32107
Q United States USA31205
3 Iran Iran31023
4 Wales flag Wales30121

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Argentina Argentina32016
Q Poland Poland31114
3 Mexico Mexico31114
4 Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia31023

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France32016
Q Australia Australia32016
3 Tunisia Tunisia31114
4 Denmark Denmark30121

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Japan Japan32016
Q Spain Spain31114
3 Germany Germany31114
4 Costa Rica flag Costa Rica31023

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Morocco Morocco32107
Q Croatia Croatia31205
3 Belgium Belgium31114
4 Canada Canada30030

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Brazil Brazil32016
Q Switzerland Switzerland32016
3 Cameroon flag Cameroon31114
4 Serbia Serbia30121

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal32016
Q Republic of Korea South Korea31114
3 Uruguay flag Uruguay31114
4 Ghana flag Ghana31023


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