Senegal took full advantage of their opponents' errors to beat Poland 2-1 in their opening Group H match, finally giving Africa something to cheer about at the World Cup as the group favourites failed to fire.
Leading thanks to a clumsy Thiago Cionek own-goal in a poor first half, M'Baye Niang put the game beyond the disjointed Poles on the hour, seizing on goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny's decision to race out of his area to gather a long back pass. Niang showed pace and control to beat the keeper and covering defender Jan Bednarek before slotting home in an empty net.
#SEN WIN!@FootballSenegal record Africa's first victory of the 2018 FIFA #WorldCup with a 2-1 victory over #POL! #POLSEN pic.twitter.com/CaY90Icim1
— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018
Grzegorz Krychowiak, author of the wayward back pass, made partial amends with a header five minutes from time but it was too late.
The result leaves Senegal, famous winners over defending champions France in the opening match of their last World Cup appearance in 2002, level with Japan.
Key stats:
— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018
? The first time #POL have conceded to a @CAF_Online nation at the World Cup
? First win for an African team at the #WorldCup since Algeria's victory over #KOR in 2014 group stage. #POLSEN pic.twitter.com/t8CzBer3MK
The Asian team overcame Colombia by the same score earlier in the day. The last of five African teams to play in the tournament, Senegal are the only ones not to lose.
Poland have now gone six successive World Cups without scoring in their opening match and last won one in 1974.
And after today's results, Group H looks like this...
— FIFA World Cup ? (@FIFAWorldCup) June 19, 2018
1) #JPN
2) #SEN
3) #POL
4) #COL #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/GRHNBY8ga4
