Senegal head coach Aliou Cisse has assured that his side will fare better at the World Cup in Qatar than they did in Russia four years ago.
The Qatar 2022 World Cup kicks off on Sunday and ends on December 18.
The Teranga Lions were narrowly eliminated at the group phase in Russia on fair play points after tying on points and goal difference with Japan, and Cisse, who was also coach at the time, is keen to avoid a repeat.
While the former Senegal captain agrees that his team could be Africa’s best hope for glory in Qatar, Cisse insists that he will be treading with caution.
“Believe me, all five [African nations] have got a great chance at this World Cup,” he told FIFA in an interview.
“If all the specialists and those who know their football think we’re the best placed out of all the African teams who have qualified, then we’re delighted to hear that, but that won’t change us.
“We’re not getting carried away. It’s up to us to fully prepare ourselves and to do so wisely. But our aim is still the same: to take it a game at a time. We were knocked out of the last World Cup after just three games. The aim is to get out of this group.
“And, once we get out of this group, we know that it will be a knockout tournament. We will leave our mark. People are already looking ahead to the last 16, the quarter-finals, but we will be taking it a game at a time.
“The World Cup is all about experience. I don’t think we will make the same mistakes as in 2018. We can’t afford to repeat them. But often, when I talk about experience, people think I’m only referring to experience on the pitch or sporting experience, but I’m also referring to the experience of preparing for the World Cup.
“There are a lot of things that need to be done in preparation. Whether it’s the people who work at the federation, the players themselves, or the Senegalese government, everyone is working together to make sure we go into this World Cup in the best possible shape.”
Cisse, who has been in charge for seven years, recalls the painful experience in Russia as he hopes to use it to good effect in Qatar, where his side face the hosts, Ecuador and Netherlands in Group A.
“It was very difficult to digest what happened at the last World Cup, because we were knocked out for [accumulating] more [yellow] cards [than Japan during the group stage],” the Senegal captain to the 2002 World Cup noted.
“But that was four years ago, and we’ve gained a lot of experience since. There has also been the Africa Cup of Nations [triumph] since then and we are still one of the best teams in Africa.
“Our players are more experienced now. They play for big clubs and have come out on top in some very important games over the past four years. The World Cup is all about experience. I think the Senegalese national team is currently gaining a lot of experience. And, as I’ve said, it’s about taking it one game at a time.
“Our first objective is to get out of this group. After that, we’ll be in a knockout tournament, and we have enough experience to leave our mark on this competition.”
Senegal are going into the World Cup as African champions and defeated Bolivia in a recent friendly before a draw with Iran.
Cisse believes his team must be sharper in front of goal, and sees sense in Samuel Eto’o’s prediction of an African triumph in Qatar.
He said: “I thought we looked pretty comfortable in both games. Against Bolivia in particular, we were really in control. The game against Iran gave me more to think about.
“We had so many chances that we failed to convert, so we must continue to work on our efficiency in front of goal; we need to be more ruthless.
“What Samuel Eto’o has said is the dream of an entire continent. He certainly wants us to go as far as possible, or, at the very least, he doesn’t want to put a limit on what we’re capable of achieving.”
The Teranga Lions open their campaign in Qatar against The Netherlands on November 21, before facing the hosts four days later.
Their final group fixture is against Ecuador on November 29.
