Cody Gakpo celebrates after scoring the opening goal at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha. AFP

Two late goals gave the Netherlands a 2-0 victory over African champions Senegal on Monday as Louis van Gaal's men made the perfect start to their World Cup campaign in Qatar.

The deadlock in a cagey Group A game was broken in the 84th minute when in-form winger Cody Gakpo glanced home Frenkie de Jong's cross, before substitute Davy Klaassen scored a second in added time.

Earlier, former Tottenham striker Vincent Janssen starts for the Netherlands in their opening World Cup game against Senegal on Monday, as the African champions look to put the loss of the injured Sadio Mane behind them.

Janssen, now playing for Royal Antwerp in Belgium, had not represented his country for almost five years before returning to the fold for the Netherlands' UEFA Nations League campaign in June.

With Memphis Depay injured, he comes into an attack also featuring Steven Bergwijn of Ajax and PSV Eindhoven's Cody Gakpo as three-time runners-up the Netherlands return to the World Cup stage after failing to qualify in 2018.

Depay scored 12 times in qualifying but the Barcelona forward has not played since September because of injury.

Coach Louis van Gaal also handed a debut in goal to giant Heerenveen shot-stopper Andries Noppert.

Senegal were dealt a huge blow on the eve of the tournament when Mane was forced to withdraw from the squad with a leg injury suffered playing for Bayern Munich earlier this month.

His place in the starting line-up is taken by Krepin Diatta of Monaco for the Group A clash at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha.

Crowned African champions for the first time earlier this year, Senegal only missed out on a place in the last 16 in 2018 by virtue of having a poorer fair-play record than Japan.

Group A rivals Ecuador and Qatar met in the tournament's opening game on Monday, with the South American side beating the hosts 2-0.

Starting line-ups:

Senegal (4-3-3)

Edouard Mendy; Youssouf Sabaly, Kalidou Koulibaly (capt), Pape Abou Cisse, Abdou Diallo; Idrissa Gana Gueye, Nampalys Mendy, Cheikhou Kouyate; Krepin Diatta, Boulaye Dia, Ismaila Sarr

Coach: Aliou Cisse (SEN)

Netherlands (3-4-1-2)

Andries Noppert; Matthijs de Ligt, Virgil van Dijk (capt), Nathan Ake; Denzel Dumfries, Steven Berghuis, Frenkie de Jong, Daley Blind; Cody Gakpo; Steven Bergwijn, Vincent Janssen

Coach: Louis van Gaal (NED)

Referee: Wilton Sampaio (BRA)

Agence France-Presse