Saudi Arabia end Senegal's 11-game scoring streak in friendly stalemate

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/saudi-arabia/biSY8ox4/"]Saudi Arabia[/a] were the brighter of the two sides in the opening stages, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/senegal/hOIsJLJr/"]Senegal[/a] keeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mendy-edouard/8zpLkf6p/"]Edouard Mendy[/a] called into action to smartly thwart [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/al-birakan-firas/ltjsmFe0/"]Firas Al-Buraikan[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/aljuwayr-musab-fahz/jwkrkKh5/"]Musab Al-Juwayr[/a] from close range inside a dominant first 10 minutes for Georgios Donis’ team.[/p][p]The pattern of Saudi control continued up to HT, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/al-dawsari-nasser/rucyLHWT/"]Nasser Al-Dawsari[/a] steered narrowly off target just after the half-hour mark, and Senegal offered a limited response with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ndiaye-cherif/fwNzmJyM/"]Cherif Ndiaye[/a] repelled in stoppage time.[/p][p]Despite an impressive first-period showing, Donis opted for five substitutions at the break, looking to give more of his squad minutes.[/p][p]However, those changes unsettled Saudi Arabia’s attacking rhythm, and Senegal slowly hauled themselves back into the contest. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/thiaw-pape/Mg1TugaL/"]Pape Thiaw[/a] introduced [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jackson-nicolas/jXg8d5RJ/"]Nicolas Jackson[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sarr-ismaila/ll2uTDkB/"]Ismaila Sarr[/a] on 62 minutes, but they were unable to sprinkle some much-needed star quality on the contest, and Senegal’s frustration was compounded in the final minutes when Jackson was shown a second yellow card in the space of as many minutes for a lunge at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/al-hamdan-abdullah/Ikic8l8H/"]Abdullah Al-Hamdan[/a].[/p][image alt="Saudi Arabia-Senegal Matchup Stats" id="aed073b4-9f43-4ed8-8899-0e65e117839b" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="e7eeed8e-edf2-435d-8665-b4038ff70baf" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]A goalless draw means Saudi Arabia kick off their Group H campaign against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/uruguay/xMk44orG/"]Uruguay[/a] next week on the back of two unbeaten warm-up friendlies after beating [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/puerto-rico/ncEL5pMi/"]Puerto Rico[/a] 3-0 previously.[/p][p]The result ended Senegal’s run of scoring in 11 consecutive games, and they head into a daunting group stage opener with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/france/QkGeVG1n/"]France[/a] having failed to win either of their pre-tournament friendlies. [/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/al-owais-mohammed/hKyctrkU/"]Mohammed Al-Owais[/a] (Saudi Arabia)[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/saudi-arabia-biSY8ox4/senegal-hOIsJLJr/?mid=l0r76kyJ"]View the match stats on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]