MX23RW : Thursday, November 21 11:47:14| >> :60:1311:1311:
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Senegal national football team
World Cup | Group Stage
Nov 21, 2022 at 4pm UK
 
Netherlands national football team

Senegal
0 - 2
Netherlands


Mendy (90+4'), Gueye (90+6')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Gakpo (84'), Klaassen (90+9')
de Ligt (56')

Virgil van Dijk disappointed to miss out on Sadio Mane reunion at World Cup

Van Dijk disappointed to miss out on Mane reunion at World Cup
© Reuters
Netherlands defender Virgil van Dijk admits that he is disappointed to miss out on facing former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane after the Senegal star was ruled out of the World Cup through injury.

Netherlands defender Virgil van Dijk has acknowledged that he had hoped to come up against former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane at the World Cup.

When the draw for the tournament was made, Van Dijk's nation was placed in a group alongside Mane's Senegal side and are due to square off in their opening game.

However, rather than take to the pitch in Doha on November 21, Mane is now recuperating from surgery on a tendon injury.

Mane had initially been selected in Senegal's 26-player squad for the competition in Qatar despite the acknowledgement that he may not participate if the Lions of Teranga did not qualify for the last 16.

That is also now no longer a possibility with further medical examinations by his club Bayern Munich leading to his withdrawal from the squad on Thursday.

Although Van Dijk has known since earlier this month that Mane would not join him on the pitch at the Al Thumama Stadium, the Dutchman has admitted that he is sad about the forward's situation.

Bayern Munich's Sadio Mane after being substituted due to injury as coach Julian Nagelsmann looks on on November 8, 2022© Reuters

Speaking to the media, Van Dijk said: "I am very sorry that Sadio misses the match against us because this World Cup simply deserves the best players.

"Sadio is one of them. Sadio is world class, he is my friend and I will miss him."

The pair have spent the best periods of their career playing in their same club side, initially at Southampton where they arrived at St Mary's just a year apart.

Mane departed the Saints a year after Van Dijk's switch from Celtic to the Premier League side in 2015, but Van Dijk would follow him to Liverpool in January 2018.

During four-and-a-half years together at Anfield, the pair contributed to Liverpool winning the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, EFL Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup.

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How you voted: Senegal vs Netherlands

Senegal
15.3%
Draw
11.0%
Netherlands
73.6%
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England's Kieran Trippier, Harry Kane and Kyle Walker with teammates during training on November 16, 2022
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Netherlands Netherlands32107
Q Senegal flag Senegal32016
3 Ecuador flag Ecuador31114
4 Qatar Qatar30030

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England32107
Q United States USA31205
3 Iran Iran31023
4 Wales flag Wales30121

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Argentina Argentina32016
Q Poland Poland31114
3 Mexico Mexico31114
4 Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia31023

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France32016
Q Australia Australia32016
3 Tunisia Tunisia31114
4 Denmark Denmark30121

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Japan Japan32016
Q Spain Spain31114
3 Germany Germany31114
4 Costa Rica flag Costa Rica31023

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Morocco Morocco32107
Q Croatia Croatia31205
3 Belgium Belgium31114
4 Canada Canada30030

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Brazil Brazil32016
Q Switzerland Switzerland32016
3 Cameroon flag Cameroon31114
4 Serbia Serbia30121

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal32016
Q Republic of Korea South Korea31114
3 Uruguay flag Uruguay31114
4 Ghana flag Ghana31023


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