Whereas Senegal and the Netherlands appeared to obviously be the highest two groups in Group A, there now seems a considerable hole between even these groups. Louis van Gaal acknowledged earlier than this match that his workforce had the standard to go far on this match, they usually demonstrated as a lot over the course of 90 plus minutes.
After a protracted match the place Senegal actually had many possibilities – extra generally and on the right track than the Dutch – the lack of Sadio Mane seems ever extra horrible for this Lions squad by the match. Whereas possibilities existed, the ending was missing, and should be one thing this workforce corrects earlier than the subsequent match towards internet hosting nation Qatar.
However, it was a really sensible header by rising Dutch star Cody Gakpo – who Everton have beforehand been linked with – that put the Oranje up within the 84’. Yellow playing cards for midfielder Nampalys Mendy and Idrissa Gana Gueye within the 94’ and 96’ highlighted the night earlier than Davy Klaassen punctuated the affair within the 99’. The Dutch have so many weapons, and with a really well-known boss backing this workforce to succeed, they seem poised to attempt their greatest in that vein.
Gana lined up able a lot additional ahead than he normally does at Everton the place he’s deployed as a holding midfielder. Deployed as nearly the #10 in a 4-2-3-1, he noticed loads of the ball and his distribution was superb as Senegal threatened to run away with the sport. Frank Lampard will surely have been considering watching this efficiency from Gueye.
Whether or not in a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1, Gueye has qualities that may shine even on an injury-wracked workforce on the brightest of brilliant phases; his performances match in and match out for membership and nation exhibit as a lot, and Everton do have the next ceiling along with his return from France over this previous summer time.
For the Dutch in the meantime, they’ll look to hold the momentum ahead towards Ecuador, whose victory towards host-nation Qatar has put them in a promising place early on to make it past the three matches of Group Stage A. In spite of everything is claimed and accomplished, a draw for Ecuador can be large towards the Dutch, whereas Senegal should deal with Qatar to stay with a transparent probability at discovering their solution to the subsequent spherical of competitors.