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The Netherlands and Senegal will kickstart their 2022 FIFA World Cup when they square off at the Al Thumama Stadium on Monday.
Both sides have been paired alongside hosts Qatar and Ecuador in Group A of the tournament. The latter two will contest the tournament opener on Sunday and the dynamics of the group will be impacted by the time the Oranje and Teranga Lions face each other.
Senegal booked their spot at the Mundial following a keenly-contested playoff tie with Egypt. Both sides squared off in March, barely two months after disputing the final of the Africa Nations Cup.
A similar outcome played out, with the West Africans qualifying with a 3-1 victory in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw across both legs of the tie.
The Netherlands finished top of Group G with 23 points from 10 matches, two points ahead of second-placed Turkey. A 2-0 victory over Norway in November 2021 saw the three-time runners-up make their return to football's showpiece event, having missed the 2018 edition in Russia.
The European giants are among the contenders for the tournament and have made it to at least the semifinals in five of their last eight appearances. Senegal are making consecutive FIFA World Cup appearances for the first time but will be buoyed by lifting their maiden Africa Cup of Nations title earlier in the year.
Senegal vs Netherlands Head-to-Head stats
This is the first time the two sides are facing each other at international level. The Netherlands are yet to taste defeat in 2022, winning six and drawing two of the eight games they have played this calendar year. They are also unbeaten in 15 matches since suffering a 2-0 defeat to the Czech Republic in the round of 16 stage of Euro 2020.
Senegal are unbeaten in their last five matches at senior level, winning four games and drawing one in this run.
Senegal form guide: D-W-W-W-W
Netherlands form guide: W-W-W-D-W
Senegal vs Netherlands: Numbers you need to know before their FIFA World Cup 2022 encounter
Senegal narrowly missed out on qualification for the knockout rounds at the Russia 2018 World Cup. The West Africans became the first side in footballing history to be eliminated by fair play points, having astonishingly been level with Japan across the first five tiebreakers.
Aliou Cisse's side will be aiming to go one better as the world's 18th-ranked side come into the tournament as a potential dark horse. They will, however, have to do without the talismanic Sadio Mane, with the Bayern Munich man ruled out of the tournament due to a fibula injury.
In his stead, the Teranga Lions will turn to Ismaila Sarr as their source of goals, with the Watford man having scored six goals for the Hornets this season.
The Netherlands have never been eliminated in the group stage of a World Cup tournament and are the favorites to finish top of Group A. Louis Van Gaal has tried to downplay his side's chances but will be looking to equal or better the third-placed finish he guided his nation to in their last appearance in 2014.
The world's eighth-ranked side have lost just two of their 19 games against African opposition, winning 12 and drawing five.
PSV forward Cody Gakpo has been one of the revelations in Europe this season, having scored 13 goals and provided 17 assists in all competitions. The 23-year-old could be one of the tournament's breakout stars and is arguably his country's biggest hope for success.
