Louis van Gaal’s quest to add a glorious epitaph to his managerial career got off to a winning start thanks to two late strikes.
The highly-decorated veteran was gushing in praise of the Oranje ahead of their tournament opener suggesting they could go all the way in what is likely to be the 71-year-old’s final managerial posting.
But this eagerly-awaited dust-up was a limp affair as two countries - unable to start their brightest attacking talent - decided upon a cautionary approach. It looked for all the world as if this would end in a goalless stalemate as chances were at a premium - particularly during a drab second period.
But Cody Gakpo opened up the game with a late header and sub Davy Klaassen added the finishing touches in the final seconds to give the scoreline a far healthier appearance for van Gaal and his men.
With Qatar putting on such a limp show in their opening fixture against Ecuador, both bosses would have been mindful of the damage a defeat would do to their chances of qualifying from Group A.
Perhaps that influenced their approach and it would have been interesting to see how the Lions of Teranga would have fared had Sadio Mane been available to them after he was ruled out by a tendon injury.
Van Gaal has been sweating on the fitness of his leading light Memphis Depay who has been struggling with a hamstring problem. He was able to name the ex-Manchester United man on the bench, however, and the striker played a part in both of the goals that settled this.
With just six minutes remaining on the clock, he was involved in a triangle of passes that ended with Frankie de Jong swinging over a cross from the left.
Gakpo showed Manchester United what they are missing after his failed transfer earlier this year. The forward gambled and made a run that went untracked. Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy gambled but failed to reach the ball first and the ball was deflected into the net by the PSV Eindhoven star.
That lead was protected just a few minutes later when debutant Andries Noppert in the Dutch goal, pulled off a save from sub Page Gueye that protected the slender lead. As the game entered its final seconds, Depay found himself in a one-on-one duel with Kalidou Koulibaly.
He managed to fire off a shot from the edge of the area that Mendy could only parry and Klaassen was on hand to seal the result with almost the last kick of the game.
Netherlands (3-5-2): Noppert 6, de Ligt 5, Van Dijk 7, Ake 6; Dumfries 6, de Jong F 6, Gakpo 8, (de Roon 90) Berghuis 6, (Koopmeiners 78, 5) Blind 6; Janssen 5, (Depay 62, 7) Bergwijn 5. (Klaassen 78, 6)
Subs: Pasveer, Bijlow, Timber, De Vrij, De Jong L, Lang, Malacia, Weghorst, Taylor, Simons, Frimpong.
Senegal (4-3-3): Mendy E 5, Sabaly 6, Koulibaly 6, Cisse 6, Diallo 5, (Jakobs 62, 5) Kouyate 6, (Gueye P 73, 5) Mendy N 6, Gueye I 6; Sarr I 7, Dia 5, (Dieng S 68, 5) Diatta 5. (Jackson 73, 5)
Subs: Dieng B, Gomis, Mendy F, Ndiaye N, Ciss, Ballo-Toure, Ndiaye I, Sarr P, Diedhou, Name, Loum.
Man-of-the-match: Cody Gakpo - energetic and disciplined display that was rounded off by the all important opening goal.
