November 29, (THEWILL) – With a 2-1 victory over Ecuador on Tuesday at the Khalifa International Stadium, Senegal advanced to the World Cup knockout round at Ecuador’s expense.
Despite entering the match trailing their opponents by a point, Aliou Cisse’s team finished second in Group A behind the Netherlands, who defeated hosts Qatar in the group’s other final match.
Ismaila Sarr of Watford, who had been fouled by Piero Hincapie in the box, calmly slid home from the spot to give Senegal the lead in the 44th minute. It was just desserts because Senegal had been the more impressive team throughout the game.
Midway through the second half, Moises Caicedo tied the score for Ecuador, but Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly scored to give Senegal the lead once more and it was enough to advance them to the round of 16.
On Sunday, Senegal will compete against the top team from group A. It will most likely be England but may also be Iran, the United States, or Wales. Meanwhile, Ecuador is left to nurse its wounds after missing out on what would have been just the second time in their history to advance to the knockout round.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
