Mondial 2026 : Le mea culpa de Kalidou Koulibaly après le naufrage défensif face à la Norvège
Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly offered no excuses after the Lions of Teranga's 3-2 defeat to Norway on Monday night, during the second matchday of the 2026 World Cup group stage. Having delivered an unusual performance, the central defender acknowledged his significant contribution to the loss, which seriously jeopardizes his team's chances of qualifying.
At MetLife Stadium in New York, the Senegalese paid dearly for their defensive errors. Involved in all three Norwegian goals, Koulibaly offered a self-criticism at the final whistle, fully accepting his responsibility.
“Top-level football is all about the details. Today, I made a lot of mistakes and it’s really regrettable. At the World Cup, the slightest lapse in concentration is immediately punished. We gave our opponent too much to hope to win this match,” the Lions’ captain said after the game.
Despite this unfavorable turn of events, the Senegalese defender praised his teammates' reaction, who never gave up. Twice trailing, Pape Thiaw's men managed to pull one back thanks to a brace from Ismaïla Sarr, who scored twice, first in the 53rd minute and then in stoppage time (90+3). These efforts, however, were insufficient to avoid a second consecutive defeat after their loss to France (3-1) in the opening match.
With zero points, Senegal now finds itself in a must-win situation. The Lions must beat Iraq by a significant margin in their final group match, while also hoping for favorable results in their other games to finish among the best third-placed teams. Despite this precarious situation, Kalidou Koulibaly refuses to give up hope.
"We must continue to believe until the very end. We will prepare for this final match with great determination. God willing, we will put on a great performance against Iraq and we will give everything to secure the victory."
Senegal will therefore play for its survival in this World Cup on Friday, with the obligation to achieve a real feat to hope to continue its adventure on American soil.
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