Thiaw sees Senegal down but not out after tight loss to Norway

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/senegal/hOIsJLJr/"]Senegal[/a] were expected to be strong contenders at the World Cup in North ‌America but lost their opening Group I fixture 3-1 ‌to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/france/QkGeVG1n/"]France[/a] and went down 3-2 to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/norway/8rP6JO0H/"]Norway[/a] on Monday.[/p][p][b]“I ‌think that it was a difficult game for us against ‌a very strong Norwegian side that put us into very difficult situations as they were very efficient,” said Thiaw.[/b][/p][p][b]“We conceded goals at ‌probably the worst time that we could ⁠have, just before half-time and ‌then just after we came out for the second half.[/b][/p][p][b]"But we ​need to congratulate Norway, and I'm encouraging my players not to be despondent because it wasn't easy. ​We were looking for a positive result and looking to go away with three points, but this just didn't happen ⁠for us this evening.”[/b][/p][image alt="Group I standings" id="2502e4e4-ceb0-43d9-bfb1-e015c462cbbe" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="4f3a0deb-dc83-4113-a44d-72aeffc40ef6" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]France, ​who beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/iraq/K8aAGt6r/"]Iraq[/a] 3-0 earlier in Philadelphia, and Norway are both on six points and through to the next round.[/p][p]The best Senegal can do is take one of the eight slots ‌for the best third-placed finishers, but need to beat Iraq in their last group game in Toronto on Friday to stand any chance.[/p][p][b]“We've got one match to go, and we need to focus on this last game, and try it and get three points and then cross our fingers," Thiaw said.[/b][/p][p][b]“I think it's a little bit too early to say that we failed. We're not dead. We’re not in ‌a good position, and it is true that it’s ​the first time that Senegal has started a World ‌Cup campaign with two defeats.[/b][/p][p][b]“But we've still got a chance to qualify, and we're going to focus on the last game. We want to try and get those three points and hope that we can go through.[/b][/p][p][b]“Once ⁠you’re in the next round, ⁠then it's another tournament ‌that starts,” he added.[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/norway-8rP6JO0H/senegal-hOIsJLJr/?mid=xSUJLPV8"]Read the match report with Flashscore.[/a][/p]