South Africa Vs Senegal
Story by Jefferson
Senegalese coach Aliou Cisse has implored his boys to emulate the class 2002 to qualify for the second World Cup
Speaking to the press last night through an interpreter at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.
Cisse who was captain of the 2002 squad that beat defending champions France in the opening match and went on to scale the heights of quarterfinals was bubbly about the current squad.
Experience of the world Cup exploits are not short in Cisse’s backroom staff as the goalkeeping coach for the current Teranga Lions or Lions of Teranga Tony Sylva was there.
It had players like mercurial El-Hadji Diouf, Henri Camara, Papa Bouba Diop dubbed the Wardrobe for his towering presence and his scored that all important and confidence building goal to silence France. France had the Zidane’s of this world, Lillian Thuran etc
The current squad has the quality to beat any side any time, such as Sadio Mane, Diafra Sakho, Cheikhou Kouyate, Keita Balde and Idrissa Gueye.
Two points in back to back matches against Bafana Bafana is all that Senegal need to book that ticket to Russia in 2018
“This is very important for Senegal because it has been 15 years since we went to the World Cup, so it’s very important for us to win for our people because they need it,” the deadlocked Cisse said.
“We will be playing against a South African team that has good players and we don’t expect an easy game, but we just hope that everything will be with us to win the game. Whether we are playing at home or away, we are expecting to go to the World Cup.”
“It’s true that we did not play so well. From that game there are many things that we have changed, so we will be expecting something better,” the coach added. He was admitting to the fact that Ghanaian Joseph Lamptey was found guilty of manipulation. The coach still thinks his charges did not play to their abilities.
Senegal’s big defender Kara Mbodj is suspended for the upcoming encounter but will be back when the two countries meet again in Dakar on Tuesday.
Mbodj scored when the sides played to a 1-1 group stage draw during the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea. His height will be missed, especially when set-piece opportunities are presented in the Bafana box.
But Cisse is confident he has enough quality in his squad.
“I am not worried about my defender Kara. I know he is suspended, but whoever comes in will be ready physically and mentally. I have players who are ready to make history.”
The match is on tonight at the Peter Makaba Stadium in the Polokwane Province of South Africa
