World Cup preview: With Mane injured, how far can Senegal go?

The Teranga Lions have as much attacking depth as any team participating in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but the inadequacies in midfield might derail their chances of getting out of Group A.

Their array of prolific attackers includes the likes of Sadio Mane, Ismaila Sarr, Boulaye Dia, Kreppin Diata and Cheikh Mbacke Dieng.

But for all their attacking grit, the Senegalese team is lacking in other departments.

In defence, only the duo of Kalidou Koulibaly and Abdou Diallo stand out as the rest are vulnerable.

But the major problem area is the midfield. They lack a good playmaker. Idrissa Gueye, Nampalys Mendy, Pape Sarr and Pathe Ciss are defensive-minded players, hence, creativity in the middle of the park may prove to be a herculean task.

The expectation is that Aliou Cisse can address these problems before the tournament gets underway in just a few days.

How They Got Here

It’s always difficult to qualify out of Africa, where there are several countries vying for a few slots, making the margin for error extremely slim. However, Senegal’s path to Qatar did not provide many tough tests.

They blew through their four-team, second-round qualifying group with an impressive record. They topped Group H featuring Togo, Namibia and Congo with 16 points — and they went on to beat Egypt in the playoffs.

Players To Watch

Bayern Munich star Sadio Mane was going to be key. Nominally a forward, Mane has had to serve as an attacking midfielder in the past, dropping back from attack to help with the link-up play.

But with his injury scare, there are fears that he may not play much of a prominent role as expected. The attacker was injured during Bayern Munich’s 6-1 victory over Werder Bremen at the Allianz Arena. Although he was named in the Senegal squad despite the injury, Bayern is keen to protect their new signing and manage his recovery.

Meanwhile, in defence, the pairing of Diallo and Koulibaly is solid, but they are not particularly quick, and if you can break down Senegal through the wings and force both defenders out, things can get messy pretty quickly. However, these are two quality, experienced players who will force you to create your opportunities (as opposed to gifting them to you).

How Far They Can Go

The Teranga Lions will have trouble overcoming the Netherlands and they may face a tricky test when they play the host country Qatar — but against Ecuador, if they can find an early goal, they have defenders and defensive midfielders that could allow them to hold a lead.

Senegal could have a quarter-final run in them if they get out of Group A and use the same formula in their second-round match with whoever comes out of Group B. 

The Teranga Lions’ performance is however dependent on the availability of Mane, or their ability to adjust if he plays no part.