Poland – Senegal World Cup Tips
This last match of the first day of the group stage of the World Cup could reserve a little ‘show and possibly some goals. In fact, Poland and Senegal are faced, two tactical national teams that seem intent on playing offensive football and that have very strong strikers.
The ambitions of Poland
Repeating the third place in 1974, the best result for Poland in a World Cup, will be very complicated. But this national team has a lot of talent and the right experience to overcome the group stage and then be a tough rival for the favorite teams for the final victory. Commissioner Adam Nawalka, who has been in charge since 2013, after the excellent European Championships in 2016 and the excellent qualifying round in Russia 2018, knows very well the players at his disposal. In each department there is at least one champion or almost: Wojciech Szczesny in goal, Kamil Glik in defense, Piotr Zielinski in midfield and Robert Lewandowski in attack, with 16 goals top scorer of European qualifiers at the World. And we must not forget the recovered Arkadiusz Milik, who without any more injuries played an excellent season finale in Naples and arrives at the World in excellent physical condition.
There are also many other good players, ready to give a contribution in terms of experience in what will be their last World Cup: Michal Pazdan, Lukasz Piszczek, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Kamil Grosicki. Nawalka also has quality parts available in all roles: from second goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski to forward Dawid Kownacki through right-back Bartosz Bereszynski, in Sampdoria as Karol Linetty, who should instead be a possible holder of Poland.
Then there is the unknown Grzegorz Krychowiak: after a memorable 2016 with Sevilla, with whom he won the Europa League, and a great European played with Poland, he played badly both in Paris Saint-Germain and in West Bromwich ( relegated to the Championship). But in the national team has always done well: it could be the right opportunity to get noticed and immediately find a new team.
The strengths of Senegal
Senegal seems to be the best African national of this World Cup. It certainly has at least two absolute champions that alone make this team fearful and difficult to face: Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly and Liverpool striker Sadio Mané.
The goal scored in the Champions League final against Real Madrid, Liverpool’s only, confirmed the excellent form of this striker. So far it has been his best season ever, a bit unnoticed due to the extraordinary season of his team-mate Mohamed Salah. Manè has scored 20 goals in 40 games played between the Premier League and the Champions League. Although not the central striker of Senegal, he should be the most decisive player. In addition to Mané, Senegal has other excellent offensive footballers: Mame Biram Diouf and Moussa Sow have a lot of experience from professionals in Europe, and the youngest M’Baye Niang and Keita Baldé in Italy know them well, as the first plays in Turin and the second passed last summer from Lazio to Monaco.
Then there are also players of “substance”, such as Salif Sané in defense and Cheikhou Kouyaté and Idrissa Gueye in midfield. The doubts concern moreover the tactics and management of the technical commissioner Aliou Cissé, who in the friendlies before the World Cup has changed several times and does not seem to have clear ideas on how to play.
Senegal is in his second participation in the World Cup but at his debut in 2002, he even reached the quarter finals, before being eliminated from Turkey. Although not having a long tradition at these levels, Senegal can derive from that result a source of inspiration. The outcome of this World Cup is still uncertain: it can surprise everyone and get up to the knockout stages, or sadly follow the poor performance of the Africans in this World so far (Egypt, Morocco and Nigeria were defeated).
The latest news on the formations
Poland’s technical commissioner in the friendly matches played before the World Cup has often used the three-man defense, but it will probably be repeated in any matches against the high-level nationals, against which we will have to defend more carefully. Against Senegal Nawalka will want to play the game, and for this reason he will bet on 4-4-2 by deploying Lewandowski and Milik at the same time. The goalkeeper will be Szczesny, and in the central defense will be Glik alongside Pazdan: the two have always shown great tactical compatibility in the national team, especially in the Europeans of 2016. The full-backs should be Piszczek and Bereszynski. Zielinski will have a different role compared to what he usually occupies in Naples: he will be a sort of director alongside the median Krychowiak. The outsiders of the midfield should be Blaszczykowski and Grosicki: there is also the possibility that you play Linetty, with Zielinski who would then play outside.
On the other side, Aliou Cissé, who was the captain of Senegal in 2002, should send a fairly offensive formation. The technical commissioner knows he has his best players in attack, and it makes sense to field at least three. Together with the unavoidable Sadio Mané there should be Keita and Moussa Sow. Koulibaly will lead the defense, with one side between Sané and Mbodjy. The full-backs should be Waguè and Sabaly. The three-sided midfield should be composed of Gueye, Kouyaté and N’Diaye.
Prediction Poland – Senegal
Given the strength of the two attacks, the goals this time should not be missing. Poland is favored by the increased experience and skills at the tactical level.
The probable formations of Poland – Senegal
POLAND (4-4-2): Szczesny; Piszczek, Glik, Pazdan, Bereszynski; Blaszczykowski, Krychowiak, Zielinski, Grosicki; Lewandowski, Milik.
SENEGAL (4-3-3): K.N’Diaye; Wagué, Koulibaly, Sanè (Mbodj), Sabaly; Gueye, Kouyaté, P.N’Diaye; Keita, Sow, Mané.
Prediction of the Day: 1X + OVER 1.5
Odds: 1.96
Prediction Today: GOL
Odds: 2.05
