Sports 22 June 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Senegal's World Cup Hopes Fade After Norway Loss, Coach Remains Optimistic
Despite two opening defeats in the World Cup, Senegal's coach believes their qualification hopes are not yet extinguished. The team must secure a victory in their final group match and hope for favorable results elsewhere. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/sports/world-cup/senegal-in-trouble-but-world-cup-dream-not-dead-coach-says-5505776
Senegal faces an uphill battle in the World Cup after suffering consecutive losses in their group stage matches. A 3-1 defeat against France was followed by a narrow 3-2 loss to Norway on Monday, leaving the Lions of Teranga in a precarious position.
Coach Pape Bouna Thiaw acknowledged the team’s struggles, particularly their inability to convert opportunities and conceding goals at critical moments. “We conceded goals at probably the worst time that we could have, just before half-time and then just after we came out for the second half,” Thiaw stated.
Despite the disappointing results, Thiaw urged his players not to lose heart. He emphasized that while the situation is not ideal, the team’s World Cup dream is not definitively over. France and Norway have already secured their passage to the next round, leaving Senegal to vie for one of the best third-placed finishes.
Their only remaining path to qualification hinges on a victory against Iraq in their final fixture. “We’ve got one match to go, and we need to focus on this last game, and try it and get three points and then cross our fingers,” the coach explained. He stressed that the team is not mathematically eliminated and will fight until the very end.
“We’re not dead. We’re not in a good position, and it is true that it’s the first time that Senegal has started a World Cup campaign with two defeats,” Thiaw admitted. “But we’ve still got a chance to qualify, and we’re going to focus on the last game.”