World Cup 2026: Cherif Ndiaye takes positives from Senegal draw with Saudi Arabia

Senegal forward Cherif Ndiaye remains optimistic ahead of the 2026 World Cup despite his side being held to a goalless draw by Saudi Arabia in their final preparation match before the tournament.

Leading the attack against the Saudis, the Senegalese striker was unable to find the net, but he believes the match provided valuable lessons as the Lions continue their build-up to their opening World Cup fixture against France.

Although Senegal created several opportunities during the encounter, they were unable to convert them into goals.

Ndiaye acknowledged the team’s lack of efficiency in front of goal but insisted that the overall experience would be beneficial as preparations enter their final stage.

“We can only take positives from this. It was a friendly match, after all. We’re preparing for our first match against France. I hope we can take away many positives.

There are things to improve. This match will allow us to go further, to find weaknesses, positive points, and to improve them,” he explained.

The Samsunspor striker believes the draw highlighted areas that require attention before the competition begins, while also offering encouragement regarding the team’s overall progress.

Senegal enjoyed several promising spells throughout the match and generated chances that could have changed the outcome. However, their inability to finish those opportunities ultimately left them frustrated at the final whistle.

Reflecting on the performance, Ndiaye pointed to the importance of converting chances and starting matches more effectively.

“We had opportunities, unfortunately we couldn’t convert them. But we’re continuing our preparations for the World Cup. Now, we need to train hard and be ready for the start of the competition.

We had a poor start to the match. We know that the beginning is often crucial. After that, we had some good spells.

The most important thing is to maintain those and not repeat these mistakes in the upcoming matches. Yes, we’re a little frustrated, but we’ll prepare for the next challenges.

When you’re in Senegal, there’s always a slight feeling of unfinished business, but we’re still focused on our preparations. We still have a week to get the competition off to a good start,” he added.

While the result may not have delivered the victory Senegal wanted, Ndiaye’s assessment reflected a squad focused on improvement rather than disappointment.

With France awaiting in their opening match, the Lions will now use the remaining days before kickoff to fine-tune their preparations and address the shortcomings identified against Saudi Arabia.