On Day 2 of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup, Voice of Nigeria previews the upcoming fixtures scheduled to take place on Monday, with African champions Senegal up against the Netherlands in Group A, England faces Iran, while the USA will take on Wales in the other Group B encounter.
The opening match saw South Americans Ecuador claim a 2-0 victory against hosts Qatar at the Al Bayt Stadium, with Enner Valencia’s brace firing his side to the top of Group A.
Senegal Vs Netherlands
Africa’s highest-ranked, Senegal, team will look to challenge the Netherlands in their opening Group A clash by 5pm (Nigerian Time), at the Al Thumama Stadium despite injury to star player Sadio Mane.
Both teams will head into their opening World Cup fixture high on confidence after a string of promising recent performances. In February, the Teranga Lions of Senegal secured its first Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title after beating Egypt on penalties.
The encounter at the Al Thumama Stadium had promised to pit Liverpool’s centre-back Virgil van Dijk against his former teammate Sadio Mané. However, the African Footballer of the Year picked up an injury playing for Bayern Munich and has been ruled out of the tournament.
“We know that we have lost a great leader but I think that there will be more players that will show themselves and we must be ready,” defender Kalidou Koulibaly said.
The Netherlands have also enjoyed considerable success in their continental exploits, topping their Nations League group and picking two big wins against rivals Belgium.
Monday’s match will likely represent the greatest challenge in Group A for both teams, who will fancy their chances against Ecuador and Qatar, ranked 44th and 50th in the world, respectively.
England Vs Iran
The first game of Group B pits England against Iran at the 40,000-capacity Khalifa International Stadium, by 2pm (Nigerian Time) on Monday.
England could be favourites to progress from the group based on their ranking, however, Gareth Southgate’s team have lost three and drawn three matches in their UEFA Nations League fixtures this summer that led to their relegation.
- Read more: Ecuador Beats Qatar 2-0 In World Cup Opener
Southgate has named a strong 26-man squad for the World Cup, and will hope his top performers from last year’s European Championship run will make a comeback to their best form. Captain Harry Kane will lead the attack with the likes of Raheem Sterling and Bukayo Saka.
Iran will look to exploit Englnd’s weakness with star striker Mehdi Taremi at the front of the attack, supported by Sardar Azmoun and Alireza Jahanbakhsh.
Iran’s Portuguese Coach Carlos Queiroz will look to employ his heavy defensive tactics to contain the English attacking team to have any chance in the game. Iran have had a decent run of results in recent friendlies with wins over Uruguay and Lebanon.
USA Vs Wales
The USA and Wales game will kick off by 8pm (Nigerian Time), at the Ahmed Bin Ali stadium in Al Rayyan.
The Americans are returning to the competition after an eight-year absence, failing to qualify for the 2018 tournament hosted by Russia. The team is led by Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic, one of the most talented footballers in the USA team.
For Wales, the wait for an appearance at a World Cup goes back to 1958. Led by Gareth Bale, the team qualified after finishing second in their group and defeating Ukraine in a playoff.
Bale is one of the fastest and most talented footballer in the world. He currently plays his club football in the USA, with the city of Los Angeles after his stellar career with Spanish side Real Madrid. But Wales are more than a one-man team. Fellow veterans Aaron Ramsey and Joe Allen provide solid midfield support.
With England expected to top Group B, the match between USA and Wales could be crucial for both sides to make it through to the final 16 in the runner-up spot.
Rise and shine! Matchday two is starting soon 😍#Qatar2022 | @adidasfootball
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 21, 2022
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