Senegal 2-1 Ecuador; Senegal Qualifies for RO 16 First Time in 20 Years
In a do-or-die match for Senegal against Ecuador, who just needed a draw, Senegal completely stole the show with a 2-1 victory in the Khalifa International Stadium.
A well-deserved victory went to Senegal after they gave it their all for the match that would decide their fate in the World Cup. They completely shut down Ecuador’s attacking front, heavily dependent on their captain and best scorer, Valencia.
It was a doomed match for Ecuador from the start because it was evident that Senegal was hungry for victory with its heavy physical play. They figured out their opponents’ gameplay, heavily marking their top-scorer Valencia, and broke down the entire moral frame of Ecuador.
Senegal into the the knockouts after 16 years
Although the match was statistically dominated by the Ecuador front, who wanted to play possession-based football and take it easy since even a draw would make them qualify, it turned into their most significant weakness, making them over-confident.
After staying in a deadlock for most of the first half, the game completely changed just a minute before half-time due to the grave mistake committed by the Ecuador defense, which awarded Senegal’s front with a penalty, rightfully converted into a game-changing goal by Ismaila Sarr in the 44th minute.
The confidence of Senegal was almost shattered by Ecuador after they reminded us all that they were still alive in the 67th minute after Moises Caicedo scored the opening goal and was an equalizer for his team.
But alas, fate had some other plans, and the man of the match himself, Kalidou Koulibaly, made history spectacularly by saving the day for Senegal and made his nation qualify for the knockout stages for the first time in 20 years in the 70th minute by netting the ball past the goalkeeper.
On the other hand, Ecuador lost its vision and motivation and seemed to have no idea how to approach this vital match, whether to go for a draw or to fight for a victory. Either way, the stamps have been sealed, and the Netherlands and Senegal move ahead to RO16, while Ecuador and Qatar go back home.
