Diouf backs Senegal to beat England in last 16
LONDON. — Former Bolton Wanderers and Liverpool star El-Hadji Diouf reckons Senegal will knock England out of the FIFA World Cup finals if tomorrow night’s last 16 clash goes to penalties.
The match kicks-off at 9pm (Zimbabwean time).
The 41-year-old, who twice won African Footballer of the Year, says his country will have nothing to fear when they take on Gareth Southgate’s side in Qatar.
England’s recent record on spot-kicks had improved up to last summer’s Euros, where they were beaten in the final by Italy. Senegal managed to win the African Cup of Nations for the first time in February on penalties, beating Egypt.
And Diouf is confident that if it came down to the crunch they would prevail again.
“If it goes to penalties, we’re going to win it, easy,” he said. “I know the goalkeeper we’ve got and I know we can stop some of their penalties.”
Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy would be the man Senegal would look towards – and he is one of a few players plying their trade in England’s top-flight that Diouf feels could make a difference at Al Bayt Stadium.
The former Liverpool and Bolton man – rarely a shrinking violet when it comes to giving his opinion – believes over-confidence could be the Three Lions’ downfall.
“It reminds me of when we played against France,” said Diouf. “They thought they’d won the game before they played it. If England do the same thing on Sunday, this is good for us.
“We don’t have anything to show the world. If you see our squad, we have Edouard Mendy, we have Kalidou Koulibaly. We have a lot of good players playing in England.
“Some play in the Championship, but they’re really English Premier League players, like Ismaila Sarr. It’s for them to show how good they are in this game.
“England have to win, but we have to show them the game is not finished before we play.
“I know we’re not the favourites, but we’re going to do everything to beat them and the players can do it.”
In a World Cup that has already sprung a few surprises, victory for Senegal would rank among the biggest.
Pointing to some of the shock results for the African nations so far, Diouf believes the victorious nation tomorrow will be the one which deals best with the pressure. — Bolton News.