Doha ∙ Qatar’s draw was enough to enter the pre-quarters of the World Cup, with a stunning victory over Ecuador’s ‘unbalance’ and African powerhouse Senegal in the pre-quarters. Senegal won the last match of Group A at the Khalifa Stadium by two goals against one. Senegal secured the prequarters after a brilliant performance from the first minute of the match. Ismaila Sarr (44, penalty) and Kalidou Koulibaly (70) scored for Senegal. Ecuador’s goal was scored by Moises Caicedo (67).
Senegal regained the lead in just three minutes after Ecuador equalized. With this win, Senegal have won all three matches against Ecuador so far on the international stage. Qatar’s only loss in the World Cup also opened the door to Ecuador’s exit.
In another match held at the same time, the Netherlands defeated the hosts Qatar and entered the prequarters with the first place in the group. The Netherlands have seven points with two wins and one draw. Despite losing to the Netherlands in their first match, Senegal went into the prequarters in second place after beating Qatar and now Ecuador.
∙ The way the goals came
Senegal first goal: Senegal, who attacked from the first minute, was given the lead by Ismaila Sar in the 44th minute through a penalty. The referee awarded a penalty to Senegal after Piero Hincapie brought down Ismaila Zar who entered the Ecuadorian box after a good move. Ismaila Sar, who was kicked during the protests of the Ecuador players, found the target easily. Ismaila sir’s first goal in the World Cup.
Ecuador equalizer: Ecuador, who performed relatively well in the second half, countered in the 67th minute. This time the way to the goal was a corner kick received by Ecuador. Gonzalo Plate raised the ball from the corner and Felix Torres headed it high. Caicedo, who was unmarked by anyone, easily hit the ball into the net. Score 1–1.
Senegal second goal: The joy of Ecuador’s equalizing goal lasted only three minutes. In the 70th minute, a free kick in Senegal’s favor changed the picture again. Idrissa Gue lifted the ball from outside the box to Kalidou Koulibaly in the right-hand corner, tapping the shoulder of Felix Torres at the post. Coulibaly’s smashing shot went past Ecuador goalkeeper Galindez and into the left corner of the post. Score 2–1.
∙ Senegal playing attacking
The Ecuadorian coach brought the team to the field with two changes in the team that played in the last match. Captain Enner Valencia, who was out with an injury against the Netherlands, played today. There were three changes in the Senegal team that beat Qatar. What made the match exciting was that both teams had pre-quarter chances.
From the first minute of the match, Senegal’s performance was shaking Ecuador’s goal. Realizing that a win is essential to advance to the pre-quarters, they played relentlessly on the attack. Ecuador had two golden opportunities in the first 10 minutes. Idrissa Gu missed a chance in the 3rd minute and Boulaye Dia missed a good chance in the 9th minute. In the 24th minute, Sir Ismaila also threw away a golden opportunity that he had created for himself.
Ecuador had a relatively better performance in the second half. Ecuador played aggressively in the belief that even a draw would give them a place in the prequarters and scored the equalizing goal. However, Senegal fought back within three minutes and not only regained the lead, but also secured victory and a berth in the prequarters.
English Summary: FIFA World Cup 2022, Ecuador vs Senegal Match Live Updates