Senegal overcomes Equator and slips into 8th

Senegal did it, 20 years later! Compelled to win towards Ecuador to grab second place in Group A and thus attain the spherical of 16 of the 2022 World Cup, the Lions of Teranga dominated the Tri (2-1) this Tuesday, on the finish of a usually managed assembly on the Khalifa Worldwide stadium. Aliou Cissé, who lined up an offensive quartet Ndiaye-Gueye-Sarr-Dia, has purpose to be happy after the convincing efficiency of his males. The primary interval was additionally clearly to the benefit of the Teranga Lions, extra incisive and aggressive, who began very sturdy.

Whereas they have been in a great place, Gueye (third) then Dia (eighth) missed the Ecuadorian body. The Tri de Valencia, lastly holder regardless of his knee drawback, didn’t handle to be harmful and fear Mendy. The sunshine lastly got here from a former Ligue 1 participant, within the individual of Ismaïla Sarr. The Watford striker, already very near the opener (twenty fourth), took duty by opening the scoring with a penalty that he himself went to get by pushing Hincapié to make a mistake (0-1, forty fourth).

Koulibaly extinguished Ecuadorian hopes

Summoned to react to the insipid efficiency of his gamers, Gustavo Alfaro, the Ecuador coach, injected new blood on the break by changing Gruezo and Franco with Cifuentes and Sarmiento. Adjustments that had the advantage of fixing the face of his group, higher capable of maintain the ball towards extra defensive Senegalese. With out an impeccable intervention from Ciss in entrance of Plata (53rd), the Tri might have come again to attain earlier. We needed to look forward to Caicedo’s point-blank achievement, after a deflection on the close to submit on a nook, to see Ecuador equalize (1-1, 68th).

A purpose permitting the Tri to be just about certified for the spherical of 16… However the pleasure was short-lived! After a ball badly returned by Valencia on an eccentric free kick kicked by Gueye, Koulibaly crucified Galindez with a pleasant attacking gesture (1-2, seventieth), for his first purpose in choice. Other than an try by Plata captured by Mendy (76th), Ecuador may have carried too little hazard in Mendy’s space to hope to maintain second place in group A. With a bit extra precision, Dia might even have elevated the rating (82nd). Senegal, which will probably be disadvantaged of Gueye, warned within the 66th minute, within the eighth, subsequently finishes 2nd in group A behind the Netherlands.