World Cup 2026: From unpaid wages to broken bodies — Senegal's internal turmoil clouds Norway decider

Senegal's 2026 World Cup endurance ngo against Norway connected Tuesday nighttime is being played retired against a backdrop of sizeable interior turbulence wrong the Lions of Teranga's camp.

Beaten by France 3-1 successful their Group I opener connected June 16, Senegal cognize that decision against Norway could extinguish their hopes of reaching the circular of 32. Yet contempt what has appeared from the extracurricular to beryllium a comparatively agreed group, their World Cup travel has been blighted by a bid of behind-the-scenes problems, including forgotten bonuses, players being forced to wage for their ain meals, and a manager who is reportedly owed respective months of unpaid wages.

Physical problems alternatively than interior dysfunction

Despite those off-field difficulties, Senegal produced a beardown first-half show against France — disciplined defensively and unsafe connected the counter. Had it not been for a deficiency of cutting borderline and Nicolas Jackson's changeable disconnected the post, they could person taken the pb arsenic aboriginal arsenic the 25th minute.

In reality, the problems of Pape Thiaw's broadside were much carnal than structural. Weighed down by a disrupted pre-tournament mentation owed to wounded setbacks, Kalidou Koulibaly, Idrissa Gana Gueye and Pape Gueye each ran connected empty. The second 2 were forced to marque mode successful the last 4th of an hour.

Changes expected against Norway

Against Norway, Thiaw's brag is apt to marque adjustments without overhauling his starting lineup. According to Wiwsport, portion the 3 players mentioned supra should clasp their starting places, Lamine Camara and Ismaila Sarr could some marque mode for Iliman Ndiaye and Ibrahim Mbaye — who proved decisive from the seat a fewer days ago, with Ndiaye providing the assistance for Mbaye's goal. Habib Diarra could besides beryllium handed a start.

The past clip Senegal failed to get retired of the radical signifier was successful 2018. On that juncture successful Russia, interior problems besides disrupted the Lions' campy — a troubling humanities parallel arsenic they hole for Tuesday's defining fixture.