That's all from us, we'll see you for the next World Cup fixture. We'll see you soon, as the next game in Qatar is never too far away!
Group A sees its second 2-0 victory in as many days, after Ecuador beat Qatar with two first-half efforts from Enner Valencia. Unlike Ecuador, the Netherlands left it late to produce the same scoreline against Senegal in this game, and that result sends them joint-top of Group A with all four of the sides still to play two matches. Senegal are joint-bottom with Qatar, and will have to respond to this late defeat in their next match against the hosts.
Gakpo created three chances for his teammates before nodding in the opener with his only shot of the game, but Frenkie de Jong's impact on this match was arguably even more significant. Controlling the game's tempo from midfield across the 90 minutes, the Barcelona man created two chances himself, one of which being Gakpo's goal, while also having 80 touches and 52 accurate passes, both the second-most of anyone on the pitch. He won eight of 10 duels in the heart of midfield, also winning possession six times, and gained three free-kicks for his side's cause.
There's the final whistle, and that pair of late Netherlands goals saw off Senegal in a game that really struggled to come alive until the final moments. With chances sparse and the quality far from world-class, the two sides appeared set to play out a stalemate, until Cody Gakpo got the run on Edouard Mendy to head in the opener with 84 minutes gone. Mendy was again caught out in the dying seconds, palming a shot into Davy Klaassen's path, who finished it off for Louis Van Gaal's side. The Oranje open their 2022 account with the three points they desired, although they'll need to significantly improve if they're to make a real dent in the latter stages of this tournament.
90' + 10' FULL-TIME: SENEGAL 0-2 NETHERLANDS.
D. Klaassen
Goal
90' + 9' GOOOOAAAALLL!!! There's the finishing touch!!! Depay is one-on-one with Koulibaly and steps beyond him before shooting early. Mendy gets down to the effort, but can only parry it straight into the path of Klaassen, who arrives late to slot the ball into the empty net! A late flurry from the Dutch has seen them pull away from Senegal, and they'll end the game with a 2-0 victory!
90' + 8' Senegal have attempted 360 passes in this game, their highest total in a single World Cup match.
I. Gueye
Yellow Card
90' + 6' Klaassen is put on the deck once again, this time by Idrissa Gueye, who catches him in the head with an elbow as the two jump for a high ball.
N. Mendy
Yellow Card
90' + 4' Mendy catches the heel of Klaassen as the two contest a 50-50 ball in the air, and the Senegal midfielder is booked as a result.
M. de Roon
C. Gakpo
90' + 4' The sole goalscorer and potential match-winner Gakpo comes off to rapturous applause from the travelling Oranje support, and Atalanta midfielder Marten de Roon will see out the rest of the game in his place.
90' + 3' Koulibaly drives forward for Senegal, but his pass into the box is deflected away to the right. Sabaly crosses back into the area, where Dieng meets it and sends a header wide of the target!
90' + 2' Dieng's cross from the right is headed away by Dumfries, but only as far as Jakobs. The left-back looks to smash it goalwards on the volley, but the ball is always rising at it flies over the crossbar!
90' We'll play EIGHT additional minutes at the end of this game, largely owing to Kouyate's injury. That's plenty of time for Senegal to find something here, and they'll throw everything at the Dutch from here on in!
88' Gakpo has now been involved in four goals in his last four international appearances for the Netherlands, with the 23-year-old scoring thrice and assisting one more. Potent.
86' Pape Gueye fires a good left-footed effort from 20 yards, and after seeing it late through the crowd, Noppert gets down low to his left to prevent the ball creeping in at his near post!
F. de Jong
Assist
84' De Jong's ball into the box was absolutely perfectly weighted, and Gakpo was on hand to give the cross the result it deserved!
C. Gakpo
Goal
84' GOOOOAAAALLL!!!! Deadlock, broken!!! De Jong whips a peach of a ball into the box, and Gakpo darts in behind the defence, beats Mendy to the ball, and heads it straight into the top corner!! What anticipation, and what a finish from the highly sought-after forward, and with just minutes left to play, the Dutch have a 1-0 lead!
83' Despite their quality from front to back, the Dutch are still yet to muster a shot on target in this game. Gakpo has looked creative, but is limited by being very wide to the right, while Depay has hardly had a sniff since coming on.
81' We're into the last 10 minutes now, and there's still no sign of that elusive opening goal. Senegal have gone closest, testing Noppert twice in recent minutes, but both sides still need to significantly improve in front of goal if they're to break the deadlock.
T. Koopmeiners
S. Berghuis
79' Berghuis also comes off, and is replaced in the middle of the park by Teun Koopmeiners for the Netherlands.
D. Klaassen
S. Bergwijn
79' More changes coming for the Dutch, as Bergwijn is withdrawn for Davy Klaassen, who will look to play through this compact Senegalese defence.
78' Ismaila Sarr has created four chances so far, with only El Hadji Diouf against Sweden and Khalilou Fadiga against Denmark in 2002 (both six), creating more chances in a single World Cup game for Senegal.
76' Sarr looks to play a one-two with Dieng, but the flicked up pass is hit goalwards by the striker, who sends it over the crossbar.
N. Jackson
K. Diatta
73' Diatta is also withdrawn, and Nicolas Jackson of Villarreal will replace him.
P. Gueye
C. Kouyaté
73' Kouyate's replacement in midfield comes on, returning Senegal to their full complement of players, and that replacement is Marseille's Pape Gueye.
73' SAVED!!! Sarr engages three defenders before squaring to Gueye, who smashes a good effort into the gloves of Noppert, and the goalkeeper parries the ball before the flag goes up against Dieng!
71' Kouyate has picked up quite a serious injury, and unfortunately has to be stretchered off. They've already lost Mane, and now the Lions of Teranga have lost another one of their influential leaders, although hopefully the stretcher was only precautionary.
B. Dieng
B. Dia
69' Senegal make an attacking change up front as Dia comes off, and Marseille striker Bamba Dieng will replace him.
67' Blind's cross to the edge of the box is headed forward by Gakpo. Dumfries gets goal-side of Jakobs and looks to shoot, but fouls the Senegal substitute in the process and concedes a free-kick!
65' SAVED!!! We have our first real save of the match! Mendy strides forward and plays in Dia on the right side of the box. He shoots first-time, and it's a decent effort which is beaten wide by Noppert at his front post!
64' While the Netherlands have failed to record a shot on target in four of their last six World Cup fixtures in the first half, they have scored twice in the second half in two of those three games prior to this one.
I. Jakobs
A. Diallo
62' Diallo has picked up a knock for Senegal and needs to come off, with Ismail Jakobs replacing the RB Leipzig defender.
M. Depay
V. Janssen
62' Stunted up front so far, Louis Van Gaal reacts by brining Janssen off for the Netherlands, and in his place comes Memphis Depay.
60' BLOCKED! A ball into the Senegal box is headed clear, and De Jong tees up Berghuis. He steps beyond his man and shoots from the edge of the area, with his left-footed effort being blocked behind by Sabaly!
58' CHANCE!! Diallo's ball from the left evades Gueye, but Diatta attempts a flying volley at the back post which he skews well wide of goal!
M. de Ligt
Yellow Card
56' De Ligt clatters into the back of Sarr as he collects the ball, touching none of the ball in the process, and the Holland centre-back picks up the first booking of the game.
55' BLOCKED!!! A deflected loose ball drops to Sabaly in space, and the Senegal right-back bursts forward before smashing a shot from 25 yards, that the knee of Ake sends behind for a corner!
53' OVER!!! Gakpo's corner is met by Van Dijk at the front post, who rises for a free header and sends the ball flying just over the top of Mendy's crossbar!
52' Bergwijn tries to hold the ball up on halfway but is clipped late by Koulibaly, and after Janssen can't get to Blind's resultant ball forward, the advantage ends and play comes back for the free-kick.
50' Gakpo turns and sprints down the right flank before linking up with Dumfries. He's tackled well in the box by Koulibaly, but the ball ricochets off Gueye to grant the Dutch a corner!
48' A loose touch from De Jong gives Dia a free run towards the box, but Ake stays strong to get in the forward's way and wins it back for the Netherlands.
46' The Senegalese kick off via the boot of Dia, and we're back up and running for the second half!
The teams return for the second half, and here's hoping the opening goal comes sooner rather than later!
In the absence of Sadio Mane, Ismaila Sarr has stood up for Senegal and is by far their most dangerous attacking threat. In the first half, he managed two shots, one of which yielded a corner, and has created two chances for his teammates. He's been right in the thick of the action, winning half of his 14 duels and one of two dribbles. He has also won the ball twice for his side, and has won three free-kicks, showing how dangerous he's been from a Dutch point of view so far.
That's 45 minutes done and dusted, and we have our first goalless first half of the 2022 World Cup! The game has certainly been an open one, but aside from a few half-chances, we've seen very little in the way of goalmouth action. Both sides are finding plenty of freedom out wide, and it's likely this will be the avenue one of them exploits best if and when we see the opening goal.
45' + 3' HALF-TIME: SENEGAL 0-0 NETHERLANDS.
45' + 2' De Jong looks to play in Bergwijn, but he loses out in the box and Senegal try to clear. They're unsuccessful, as Berghuis tries the same route, but the Lions of Teranga bypass De Jong to get the ball away from their box!
45' We'll play two minutes of added time to close out the first half in Doha.
44' A poor defensive header by Sabaly has Mendy racing after it, but the Senegal keeper can't prevent the needless concession of a corner!
43' While both sides have occasionally threatened in this first half, there has been just one shot on target. That was Sabaly's low-risk effort from distance, while the Netherlands are yet to find the target, or indeed test Mendy, from five attempts so far.
41' Sarr takes on two and is still able to get the cross away, but Dia is beaten to it by Ake on the volley!
39' SAVED!!! Dumfries' pass into the box is met by Janssen, who lays off Berghuis. He smashes the ball from the edge of the box, sending it beyond Mendy and flying just over the bar!
37' Netherlands head coach Louis Van Gaal is currently in his third spell with the national team. He took them to a third-place finish in his only previous FIFA World Cup involvement in 2014.
35' Forward come the Netherlands as Blind crosses from the left. His opposite wing-back Dumfries heads it back for Janssen to hit, but Senegal are able to clear it. De Jong recovers the loose ball and crosses onto the head of Gakpo, but a flick off Cisse and goes behind for a corner!
33' Sabaly has space 35 yards from goal and drives a low shot in that direction, but it's not rolling across the ground too quickly and Noppert can save with ease.
32' Gakpo swings the free-kick into the box, and Mendy is again caught between the ball and his defence, but Kouyate is there to meet the ball with a strong header away.
31' Janssen chases a high ball into the box, but is blocked off by Cisse on the edge, and wins his side a free-kick in a dangerous crossing position for the likes of Gakpo and Berghuis.
29' CHANCE!!! De Jong looks to have recovered possession well inside his own box, but his wayward pass forward is latched onto by Gueye, who has two attempts blocked from the edge before De Jong clears!
27' Dumfries wins the Dutch a corner, and Gakpo swings it in to the centre of the box. Van Dijk meets the ball with a powerful header, but sends it wide to the right rather than on target!
25' BLOCKED!!! Sarr takes in a cross-field pass and superbly beats Dumfries. He steps inside and whips a curling shot towards the far post, which is headed behind by Van Dijk for a Senegal corner!
23' None of Senegal’s matches at the World Cups have ended goalless. Their sole clean sheet dates back to their first ever match in the competition, in their 1-0 win over France in 2002.
21' It's certainly been an end-to-end affair so far, with both sides showing plenty of dynamic running from midfield and out wide. Neither goalkeeper has really been tested so far though, something that could soon change if chances like De Jong's are capitalised on.
19' CHANCE!!! How did they not score there? The Oranje break from a Senegal corner and Bergwijn frees up Berghuis into space. He passes left to De Jong, who has time and space to shoot, but takes far too many touches and is dispossessed in the box!
17' WIDE!!! Gakpo's cross hangs at the back post, where Blind arrives late. His downward header looks a good one, but bounces just wide of the left-hand post!
16' The Netherlands have won 11 of their last 14 matches at the World Cup, disregarding penalty shoot-outs. Their only defeat in that time was the 1-0 extra-time loss against Spain in the 2010 final, while their last defeat in a group game was back in 1994 against Belgium (0-1).
14' Mendy looks to put Sarr into space in the box, but the winger is caught offside and play comes back for a Dutch free-kick.
12' Blind cuts out a wide pass to Diallo and sets off on the counter for the Dutch. His cross-field pass finds Gakpo, but his inside ball to Janssen is hoofed clear by Koulibaly.
11' This is Senegal’s third appearance at the FIFA World Cup. The Africa Cup of Nations holders reached the quarter-finals in 2002 before being knocked out in the group stages in 2018.
9' OVER!!! An initially poor touch becomes a clever turn from Sarr, who tries his luck from the edge of the box and loops the ball just over the crossbar!
8' Diallo hooks a cross towards the back post, and Cisse arrives late but can't turn his left-footed volley goalwards!
6' The Netherlands are unbeaten in their last eight opening matches at the World Cup, whilst Senegal have won both of their openers in the tournament: 1-0 v France in 2002 and 2-1 v Poland in 2018.
4' CHANCE!! A flick forward towards Gakpo commits Mendy to the PSV forward, and he's in no-man's land as Gakpo squares to Bergwijn, but it's blocked and cleared by the Senegalese defence!
3' This is first ever encounter between Senegal and the Netherlands. The Dutch are unbeaten against African opposition at the World Cup, whilst Senegal have never tasted defeat when facing European opposition in this phase of the competition.
1' Sarr picks De Ligt's pocket and races down the left. He cuts the ball back for Dia to strike, but De Jong gets in the way to concede the first corner of the game!
1' Janssen kicks the game off for the Dutch, and we are underway in the second match in Group A!
The teams make their way out onto the pitch, and we're nearly ready for kick-off in Doha!
The Netherlands’ five-man backline features some big names, including captain Virgil van Dijk, who is making his first ever appearance at a major tournament for the Dutch. Behind him, goalkeeper Andries Noppert is making his international debut, and what a stage on which to do so!
Senegal have been dealt a major, major blow ahead of the tournament, with their all-time top scorer, talisman, and a legend of African football absent, in the form of Sadio Mane. The Bayern Munich forward was ruled out with a fibula injury with the tournament just weeks away, and he’ll unfortunately miss the entirety of it, with Krepin Diatta starting in his place up front.
NETHERLANDS SUBS: Remko Pasveer, Justin Bijlow, Jurrien Timber, Stefan de Vrij, Luuk de Jong, Memphis Depay, Noa Lang, Davy Klaassen, Marten de Roon, Tyrell Malacia, Wout Weghorst, Teun Koopmeiners, Kenneth Taylor, Xavi Simons, Jeremie Frimpong.
NETHERLANDS (5-2-3): Andries Noppert; Denzel Dumfries, Matthijs de Ligt, Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Ake, Daley Blind; Frenkie de Jong, Steven Berghuis; Cody Gakpo, Vincent Janssen, Steven Bergwijn.
SENEGAL SUBS: Seny Dieng, Alfred Gomis, Formose Mendy, Nicolas Jackson, Moussa N’Diaye, Pathe Ciss, Fode Ballo-Toure, Iliman Ddiaye, Ismail Jakobs, Pape Sarr, Famara Diedhiou, Bamba Dieng, Moustapha Name, Mamadou Loum, Pape Gueye.
Both sides topped their respective qualification groups on the way to Qatar, and have higher FIFA rankings than both Ecuador and Qatar. This game could therefore be one of the best we see in the first round of fixtures, as the sides ranked eighth (Netherlands) and 18th (Senegal) in the world do battle in Doha.
This is the second match to take place in Group A, with hosts Qatar and Ecuador opening the tournament on matchday one. Ecuador’s 2-0 win means they are the early team to beat, with both Senegal and the Dutch eager to get their tournament off to a similarly positive start.
Hello, and welcome to live coverage of this fixture in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, as Senegal and the Netherlands face off in Group A in Qatar.
Commentary