Senegal reignited their hopes to qualify to the knockout stage of the 2022 World Cup with a convincing 3-1 win over the host country Qatar. The home side showed something more than what seen in their appalling debut against Ecuador and at least managed to find the net for the first time. Yet, much more was expected from Felix Sanchez’s side ahead of the competition.
Qatar’s qualification chances now literally hang by a thread while the Teranga Lions will have to give all they have in their last match with La Tri on Tuesday to book their ticket to the next round.
In the meantime, they gladly welcomed back their goalkeeper Eduard Mendy to his usual form. The Chelsea shot-stopper was to blame in the occasion of both goals that Senegal conceded to Netherlands on their debut. Tonight, he put a clear stamp on his side’s victory with two fundamental saves that frustrated Qatar’s hopes to reopen the game.
Speaking of goalkeepers, Qatar opted for a chance between the sticks as coach Sanchez promoted Meshaal Barsam, the brother of long jump Olympic medal winner Mutaz Essa Barshim. In all fairness, he didn’t do much better than his predecessor Al-Sheeb.
Not even the referee gave a hand to the home side as there was a possible penalty on Akram Afif when the score was still nil-nil, but the Spanish ref Mateu Lahoz disallowed it without even checking the VAR. We wouldn’t call it a host-biased decision.
The Teranga Lions built a double lead across the two game halves, netting the first goal just a few minutes before the break and making it two on 48 minutes.
Salernitana’s Boulaye Dia opened the scoring as a consequence of an absolute collection of horrors on the part of the Qatari defense. Assim Madibo missed the ball form a filtering pass, then center back Boualem Khoukhi slid as he attempted to intercept it. Dia had all the time he needed to receive the ball and slot it home.
After the restart, Famara Diedhiou headed the ball into the back of the net from a corner, closing the game and likely putting an end to the home country’s World Cup experience.
The second goal conceded woke up the Qatari, but when they finally manage to land some shots on target, Mendy answered present, as he first tipped wide a shot from Ali Almoez and then pushed back a dangerous Ismail Mohammad header.
On 78 minutes though, Qatar had their first goal as Mohammed Muntari found the right spot past Mendy from a header, besting no less than Kalidou Koulibaly in the process to reanimate the half empty Al Thumama Stadium.
The illusion didn’t last long as Senegal soon made it three. The Teranga Lions came up with a beautiful one-touch effort, with substitute Bamba Dieng finalizing it from the center of the box.
MATCH SCORECARD
November 25, 2022 – FIFA World Cup Group A
QATAR – SENEGAL 1-3
SCORERS: 42′ Dia (S), 48′ Diedhiou (S), 78′ Muntari (Q), 84′ Dieng (S)
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QATAR (5-3-2): Barsham; Ro-Ro (83′ Waad) , Mohammad, Khoukhi, Hassan, Ahmed (83′ Salman); Al Haydos (74′ Muntari), Boudiaf (69′ Hatem), Madibo; Ali Almoez, Afif (Al Sheeb, Alaaeldin, Asad, Khidir, Mazeed, Al-Hajri, Hassan, Al-Hadhrami, Abdulsallam, Tarek Mashal) Coach: Sanchez |
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SENEGAL (4-2-3-1): E. Mendy; Sabaly, Koulibaly, Diallo, Jakobs (77′ P. Cissé); Gana Gueye, N. Mendy (77′ P.M. Sarr) ; Diatta (64′ Ciss), Diedhiou (74′ F. Dieng), I. Sarr (74′ Ndiaye); Dia (Gomis, S. Dieng, F. Mendy, Jackson, N’Diaye, Name, Loum, Gueye) Coach: Cissé |
NOTES: Yellow Cards: Mohammad, Ahmed, Madibo (Q), Dia, Jakobs, Ciss (S); Added Time: 1st Half 7′, 2nd Half 6′
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