Sat | Dec 9, 2023

#FootballFever | Senegal coach Cisse ill ahead of England clash

Published:Sunday | December 4, 2022 | 7:57 AM
Senegal's head coach Aliou Cisse gives directions to his players during the World Cup Group A football match against Ecuador at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar on Tuesday. Senegal won the match 2-1.
AP
Senegal's head coach Aliou Cisse gives directions to his players during the World Cup Group A football match against Ecuador at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar on Tuesday. Senegal won the match 2-1.

DOHA, Qatar (AP):

Senegal coach Aliou Cisse was unable to attend a news conference a day before his team’s World Cup game against England because of illness.

Cisse, who has been ill and has a temperature, also missed team training on Friday but is planning to be on the sideline today when Senegal take on England in the round of 16 at Al Bayt Stadium.

“He’s been sick for a couple of days now and he let us take charge of training yesterday with his instructions,” Senegal assistant coach Regis Bogaert said yesterday. “Hopefully tomorrow he will be able to be on the bench. We are sure that he will be there with the team, for sure.”

England is favoured to progress to the quarterfinals, but Bogaert believes other surprise results at this year’s World Cup can inspire Senegal.

“The message is a strong one,” he said. “We’ve seen Cameroon can beat Brazil and Tunisia can beat France so we know Senegal can beat England. That’s what we’re aiming for. That’s an important message.”

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