DOHA. — Kalidou Koulibaly’s nerveless volley sent Senegal into the World Cup knock-out stages for only the second time in their history as they eliminated Ecuador 1-2 at a rowdy Khalifa International Stadium yesterday Evening.
All three goals came from players based in England as Ecuador’s Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo cancelled out a penalty by Watford’s Ismaila Sarr before Chelsea defender Koulibaly’s side-footer won it.
Ecuador needed just a point to progress but paid the price for a passive display as Senegal were spurred on by an almost non-stop cacophony of drumming from their supporters in Al Rayyan.
Watford winger Sarr coolly stroked home from the spot, after being clumsily upended by Ecuador defender Piero Hincapie, to put the African champions deservedly ahead.
Ecuador levelled with their first real chance as Caicedo swept home Felix Torres’ flick-on but Koulibaly’s composed finish immediately regained the lead for Senegal, who knew only victory would be enough to go through barring an unlikely Qatar upset against the Netherlands.
They held out amid a nervy six minutes of stoppage time to finish as runners-up in Group A behind the Dutch, who clinched top spot by handing the tournament hosts a third defeat in three games with a comfortable 2-0 win in Al Khor.
Aliou Cisse’s side are potential last-16 opponents for England given the Lions of Teranga will next face the winners of Group B — a berth Gareth Southgate’s team could seal later on Tuesday. Much has been made of the absence of Senegal talisman Sadio Mane from this tournament through injury but they have found goals from elsewhere, their five thus far in Qatar all coming from different players.
They found swathes of space in and around the Ecuador area early on as the South Americans began nervily but Everton’s Idrissa Gueye and Boulaye Dia both dragged excellent opportunities wide.
But Sarr, who had missed his two previous penalties for his club, showed composure from the spot to slot his side in front and their heads did not drop even when Caicedo levelled from a corner.
Victory secured a first last-16 appearance since 2002, when they shocked France in the opening game on their way to the quarter-finals and, before the game, Senegal dedicated their efforts to former Fulham and Portsmouth midfielder Papa Bouba Diop — scorer of the famous winner against the French — who died in 2020 aged 42.
They will, however, be without influential midfielder Gueye, who will miss the second round – and what would have been his 100th cap — after he picked up a second yellow card of the tournament.
Many of Ecuador’s players lay prostrate on the pitch at the final whistle, some in tears, devastated at letting slip their chance of progression – like Senegal they had only once previously negotiated the group stages.
They had rightly earned plaudits for their opening two games, having brushed aside Qatar and arguably been the better side in their 1-1 draw with the Dutch — but they failed to reproduce that level of performance under the pressure of a virtual winner-take-all environment.
World Cup scorer Enner Valencia despite the three-goal forward being taken off on a stretcher late on against the Netherlands, and he failed to make any impact.
The four points they had accrued prior to the game meant Ecuador could play for a draw but they did not look like a side that had kept seven successive clean sheets earlier in 2022 and Senegal took full advantage.
Meanwhile, In-form Cody Gakpo scored again as the Netherlands beat Qatar 2-1 to finish top of Group A, ending Qatar’s miserable involvement at their home World Cup with a third consecutive defeat in another Group A match.
Qatar’s dismal showing means they became the first host nation to exit the tournament with three group-stage losses, finishing bottom with no points.
The Dutch, who failed to qualify four years ago, progress to the last 16 with an unbeaten record and face the team that finishes second in Group B – those games kick-off at 19:00 GMT.
African champions Senegal beat Ecuador to clinch second place and face the team that finishes top of Group B in the knockout stage.
PSV Eindhoven winger Gakpo has now scored the opening goal in all three of the Netherlands’ group games, driving forward and rasping a finish into the bottom corner on this occasion.
Qatar looked to hit back immediately but Ismaeel Mohammad’s shot on the stretch from outside the area was straight at Andries Noppert. But Louis van Gaal’s men scored at the start of the second half to quash any Qatari hopes of a comeback as Frenkie de Jong poked into a open net after Memphis Depay’s shot was saved.
The Dutch could have won by more, as Steven Berghuis had a goal ruled out and also hit the crossbar. Three-time finalists the Netherlands watched on from home four years ago but are making up for lost time by reminding people of their qualities.
The spine running through their side is a formidable one, marshalled at the back by Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk – their captain – pass master De Jong in the centre of the park and cool finisher Gakpo up top.
And the 23-year-old PSV player’s stock continues to rise after finishing off a team move from Davy Klaassen’s lay-off to become the first Dutch player to net in his first three World Cup games. Gakpo has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United and his price tag will be sure to increase with each impressive performance on the global stage.
For club and country, he continues a remarkable season and has now been involved in 35 goals in 29 games – netting on 17 occasions and providing 18 assists.
With a group of boisterous Qatar fans behind the goal looking to rouse their team in the second half, De Jong – who himself could have moved to Old Trafford last summer – shattered any expectations by poking in his first World Cup goal on 49 minutes.
It could have been worse for the hosts but Berghuis had a goal disallowed for handball by Gakpo in the build-up and the substitute’s curling effort struck the bar on a very comfortable evening for the Dutch. — BBCSport
