Senegal coach vows players will 'sacrifice their lives' for Africa against Norway

Senegal coach Bab Thiaw has declared his team ready to give everything for Africa as they face a crucial World Cup Group I match against Norway on Monday in New Jersey. Speaking at a press conference, Thiaw emphasized that his squad carries the responsibility of representing the African champions and must perform accordingly after their opening defeat.

The Teranga Lions lost 3-1 to group favorites France in their tournament opener, putting them under immediate pressure. A second loss to Norway, who thrashed Iraq 4-1 in their first match, would make qualification for the round of 32 extremely difficult. Thiaw described all remaining group games as "finals" and stressed that his team cannot afford any more mistakes.

"We are ready to die for Africa and Senegal. It was no coincidence that we became African champions; we deserved it," Thiaw said. "We are in a difficult group and we knew that from the beginning. We lost the first match, but everything is still possible. Against Norway we cannot make any errors; everyone is prepared and wants to give their best."

While Norway's Erling Haaland scored twice in their opening win, Thiaw refused to focus solely on the striker. He stressed that his defensive plan was designed to stop the entire Norwegian team, not just one individual. "We don't have a plan for Haaland; we have a plan for Norway," he stated. "We have defenders who have played at high-level tournaments and faced top strikers before. The most important thing is how we stop the Norwegian national team as a whole."

Senegal's defensive record in World Cups has been a concern, with the team failing to keep a clean sheet in their last 12 matches since their famous 1-0 victory over France in 2002. Thiaw acknowledged this weakness, adding, "It is true that we concede too many goals. We no longer have the luxury of making mistakes."

Off the pitch, Thiaw confirmed that a long-running contract dispute with the Senegalese Football Federation has been resolved. He described the issue as "a matter of principles and respect" rather than financial concerns, and said that both players and staff are now fully focused on the match against Norway.