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| June 7, 2002 | Friday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 25,1423 |
Diao hero and villain in Senegal’s draw
TAEGU (South Korea), June 6: Senegal midfielder Salif Diao gave away a penalty, equalised and was then sent off as the West Africans kept up the momentum in their first tournament by holding Denmark to a 1-1 draw in group A Thursday.
Senegal, shock 1-0 conquerors of France in the tournament’s opening game, fell behind in the 16th minute when Diao bundled over Jon Dahl Tomasson and the Danish striker scored from the spot for his third goal of the finals.
But Diao made amends seven minutes after the break when he popped up at the end of a superb flowing counter-attack to fire the equaliser past Thomas Sorensen.
Diao, already booked in the 63rd minute, was sent off by referee Carlos Batres for a dangerous challenge on Rene Henricksen 10 minutes from time but Senegal held on to add another precious point to the three they won against France.
“I think it’s a great for Africa,” said Senegal coach Bruno Metsu, whose team next play Uruguay on June 11. “As far as the next match is concerned, we practically know that if we take a point we are qualified for the last 16.”
Goalkeeper Tony Sylva added: “We knew that it would be a very difficult game. I think that tonight we have shown that Senegal are a very solid team.”
Denmark coach Morten Olsen paid tribute to the Senegalese who he said were both physical and dangerous, but felt his team had struggled in the second half partly because of the heat.
“I think we were lucky in this game to get a point,” said Olsen. “They (Senegal) are physical and playing in 30 degrees is something for Africans but difficult for Europeans. Senegal were the better team in the second half.”
The Senegalese, missing influential captain and central defender Aliou Cisse, found the Danish defence and goalkeeper Sorensen impossible to crack in the opening 45 minutes, which was a physical affair between two uncompromising teams.
Batres was forced to book Danes Ebbe Sand and Tomasson and broke up a melee involving Stig Tofting and Fadiga, who was also shown the yellow card.
But the first period also featured plenty of goalmouth action at either end as both sides tried to play attacking football.
Tomasson, who scored twice in Denmark’s opening 2-1 defeat of Uruguay, had given his side an early lead with a well-taken penalty, beating Sylva to his right.
Senegal almost got an instant reply with Sorensen beating out a Fadiga header then, after the Danish defence had only half-cleared, parrying a low shot from El Hadji Diouf.
Senegal introduced substitutes Henri Camara and Souleymane Camara at the start of the second half to replace the ineffective duo of Pape Sarr and Moussa Ndiaye and the changes paid dividends as the African side began to take control.
Henri Camara’s pace also began to trouble the Danes, visibly suffering in the energy-sapping heat of Taegu, and it was no surprise when Senegal levelled.
Omar Daf robbed Martin Jorgensen deep in his own half and a sweeping passing move culminated with Fadiga playing in Diao whose flick of the right boot steered the ball into the corner of the net with the exposed Sorensen well beaten.
Souleymane Camara then wasted a great chance to fire Senegal ahead on 70 minutes, the striker shooting wastefully after being set up by Diouf, and Lamine Diatta sent a header wide.
But Senegal’s domination was about to wane when Diao, already booked just after the hour mark for an off-the-ball incident, was sent off 17 minutes later for his over-the-ball challenge.
After that the match was littered with niggling fouls and yellow cards were also shown to Denmark defender Thomas Helveg and substitute midfielder Christian Poulsen.
The Danes play their last group game on June 11 and Olsen is hoping for a better performance. “If we are to get something out of that game against France, we have to have a day when, surely in the second half, we can play better football than today.”—Reuters
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