Here’s a match that will decide which of these two teams will advance to the knockout stage. Surely, there’s a chance that both Senegal and Colombia go to the Round of 16, but for that to happen hopeless Poland need to beat the group leaders Japan. Of course, you can be certain that neither Senegal nor Colombia will want to leave anything to chance, which is why it’s fair to assume we’re going to see a great battle at the Cosmos Arena in Samara on Thursday afternoon.
Senegal
With 4 points after two rounds, Senegal are on the second spot on the table of the Group H, but if they lose on Thursday, they will drop down. This team did very well in the first match, when they beat Poland 2:1 but weren’t as impressive in the game against Japan, even though they had a lead on two occasions.
Now they’re facing their toughest challenge so far. Although even a draw in this game would do them fine, they are definitely going to struggle to avoid getting defeated. Colombia need a win and frankly, they’re a better side than Senegal. But, many people thought the same about Poland, a team that Senegal simply smashed in the opening round.
What gives hope to Senegal fans is that their attackers are incredibly pacey. They can outrun almost any defense on the planet, which is why it’s not a surprise that they’ve scored 4 goals so far. But, this time, they will probably focus on defending, as playing a draw with Colombia would mean that they would stay above them on the table and get a spot in the knockout stage.
Colombia
The reason why Colombia are struggling to get a spot among the best 16 teams in the world is that they lost to Japan in the first round. Truth be told, they had a big handicap in that match, after one of their players was sent off after only a couple of minutes into the game.
But, that failure didn’t make their morale drop. Colombia managed to pull themselves together and win an impressive victory in the second round. They beat Poland 3:0 in a match they dominated from the very start.
Obviously, Colombia have a fantastic team that can beat almost any opponent. They’re particularly impressive in the attack, where Falcao is playing great, supplied with useful balls by Cuadrado and Rodriguez. Falcao seems particularly motivated to do well on this World Cup, as this is probably the last chance for the 32-years-old striker to write history of his national team.
Possible Lineups
Senegal:
Diallo – Koulibaly, Mbodji, Gassama, Salif Sane – Kouyate, Gueye, N’Diaye – M’Baye Niang, Sadio Mane, Sow
Colombia:
Ospina – Zapata, Mina, Arias, Mojica – Lerma, Rodriguez, Quintero, Cuadrado, Izquierdo – Falcao
Senegal vs. Colombia Match Preview
There’s no doubt this is going to be an entertaining game, as both teams need a good result in order to qualify for the knockouts. Colombia have the quality on their side, but we’ve already seen a lot of surprises on this tournament. That said, it won’t be a big surprise if Senegal manage to score at least once in this match. And if that happens early on, a real goal galore is expected.
Senegal vs. Colombia Betting Tips
- Colombia @1.85
- BTS @1.90
- Colombia & Over 2.5 Goals @2.9 (William Hill)
- Over 3.5 Goals @3.75 (Unibet)
- Over 1.5 Goals in 2nd Half @2.20 (Bwin)
- Falcao to Score Anytime @2.50 (Marathon Bet)