Senegal needed to win Ecuador to make it to the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time since 2002, and a win they got. Thus, Senegal qualified for the Round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The Teranga lions defeated Ecuador by 2 goals to 1 at the Khalifa International Stadium to finish behind Netherlands on 6 points, having won games against hosts Qatar and now Ecuador in what was a tense but thrilling match.
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It was agony for Ecuador, who took four points from their first two matches, from a 2:0 victory over host Qatar and a 1:1 draw with eventual group winners, Netherlands.
The South American country needed a draw to progress, but they were found wanting, and have to bow out in the group stages for the third time at the FIFA World Cup.
Senegal showed signs of their attacking prowess early on, with Ismaila Sarr working himself into a shooting position only to have his shot spun around the corner of the post.
It was Sarr who would be presented with the perfect opportunity to open the scoring again when he was flattened in the box by Piero Hincapie. From the spot, Sarr was the coolest player on the pitch, rooting goalkeeper Hernan Galindez to the spot.
Midway through the second half, Aliou Cisse will not have been pleased watching his side defending when Moises Caicedo temporarily put a stopper in Senegales celebrations. A corner, tipped on by Felix Torres, found Caicedo completely unmarked in front of the Senegal goal; the midfielder presented with the easiest task to score.
However, it was the third dead ball scenario that would prove the decisive one. Idrissa Gueye’s corner kick was bundled around by a host of Ecuadorian bodies and resulted in Kalidou Koulibaly, storming in at the far post, swiping the ball past Galindez and sparking the most deafening of celebrations in the stands.
Late pressure from Ecuador didn’t pay, as Senegal progressed to the Round of 16 for the first time since their World Cup debut in 2002.
In the other Group A match between host Qatar and Netherlands at Al Bayt Stadium, goals from Gakpo, his 3rd of the competition, in the 26th minute and F. De Jong’s 49th minute goal gave the Netherlands a 2:0 victory.
The Netherlands topped Group A with 7 points (2 wins and 1 draw), followed by Senegal with 6 points (2 wins and 1 loss), Ecuador finished 3rd with 4 points (1 win, 1 draw and 1 loss), while the host country Qatar finished bottom of the table without a point, having lost all three matches; 0:2, 1:3 and 0:2 to Ecuador, Senegal and Netherlands respectively.
Nnamdi Maduakor is a Writer, Investor and Entrepreneur
