World Cup 2026: Senegal turn to  Ibrahim Mbaye and Iliman Ndiaye for crucial Norway clash

Senegal must beat Norway at MetLife Stadium in New York on Monday if they are to keep their hopes of reaching the World Cup knockout stage alive, with coach Pape Thiaw expected to make changes to his starting line-up.

The Lions arrive at the decisive Group I fixture under pressure after suffering defeat against France in their opening match.

Another setback against a Norway side that impressed with a 4-1 victory over Iraq would leave Senegal facing a difficult path towards qualification.

Back at MetLife Stadium, close to their training base in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Senegal know they must produce a strong response and show the competitiveness needed to remain in contention for the next round.

Thiaw admitted the importance of the match during his press conference, insisting his team cannot afford further mistakes after losing their first group game.

“We knew we were in a tough group. Every match is a final. We messed up the first one, against France, but we still have two chances.

Now we can’t afford any more mistakes. The players know that better than anyone. We have to go out and get the points to have any hope of qualifying for the round of 32.

That will start with this match against Norway, which will be very difficult, just like the previous match against France,” Pape Bouna Thiaw said.

A win would provide Senegal with a major boost in Group I, while a draw or defeat would increase the pressure ahead of their final group match against Iraq on Friday.

The Lions struggled for efficiency against France, despite showing attacking threat, and Thiaw is now considering changes to improve his team’s performance.

“Every match is different. We’ll see depending on the circumstances,” the Senegal coach said when asked about possible adjustments.

Thiaw also confirmed that the team had analysed their opening defeat and identified areas for improvement.

“We reviewed the match (against France) thoroughly. We saw our mistakes and we want to correct them,” he added.

The expected changes are likely to come in attack, with the defensive and midfield structures expected to remain unchanged.

Ibrahim Mbaye and Iliman Ndiaye are both expected to be rewarded with starting roles after making an impact against France.

Ndiaye provided the assist while Mbaye scored Senegal’s only goal in the previous match, and both players could feature in a 4-4-2 formation against Norway.

There remains a possibility that Diarra could replace Mbaye, but the Paris Saint-Germain winger is currently expected to keep his place in the starting side.

Senegal’s probable line-up against Norway:

E. Mendy – Diatta, Koulibaly, Niakhaté, Malick Diouf – Idrissa Gueye, Pape Gueye – Iliman, Jackson, Mané, Mbaye (or Diarra).

With qualification hopes at stake, Senegal will need a much-improved display against Norway to avoid putting their World Cup journey in serious danger.