Kalidou Koulibaly is optimistic Senegal will bounce from the disappointing defeat to France, Completesports.com reports.
The Terangha Lions lost 3-1 to the former European champions in their opening fixture of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Tuesday night.
Senegal gave a good account of themselves in the game with Nicolas Jackson, and Ismaila Sarr coming close to scoring in the first half.
Pape Thiaw’s side however capitulated after the break with Kylian Mbappe (brace), and Bradley Barcola scoring for France.
Koulibaly Laments Defeat To Senegal
Koulibaly expressed disappointment with the outcome of the game.
“A defeat right from the start is a shame. We know very well that Senegal likes to start competitions strong. It’s a pity we didn’t,”Koulibaly was quoted by CAFonline.
Read Also:World Cup 2026: Mbappe Sets Record As France Overcome Senegal In Group Opener
“It was a very difficult match against a team that has reached two finals in the last two editions, so they are one of the best teams in the world.”
Spirited Display From Terangha Lions
Koulibaly said the Terangha Lions can be proud of their performance against the two-time world champions.
“I think we have nothing to be ashamed of in the first half. We played a very good half, we put them under pressure. In the second half, they came back with a bit more pressure and put us under pressure when we lost possession,”he added.
Norway Test Next
Senegal will be up against Norway in their next game on Tuesday, 23 June
Koulibaly said it is important for the team to fix the mistakes from the game against Senegal.
“We need to correct the details, the turnovers. Defensively, we need to fix that. Conceding three goals is huge in a World Cup. Up front, we need to start scoring,”he stated.
By Adeboye Amosu
