Twenty years later, Senegal will review the round of 16 of the World Cup. In the “final” of group A, the Senegalese took over the Ecuadorians (2-1), Monday, November 29, to snatch a second participation in their history at this stage of the competition.
“It’s a great moment, we’ve been waiting for this for a very long time, but it’s the fruit of our workreacted Idrissa Gueye, at the microphone of BeIN Sports, after the meeting. We continue our progress, we were African champions and today we pass the group stage, but our objective is to go as far as possible in this competition. We will have to rest well to win the round of 16 because we do not intend to stop there. »
Third in the group before the start of the match, the Senegalese had to win to qualify or snatch a draw and count on an unexpected victory for the Qataris against the Dutch. Unsurprisingly, the Netherlands easily beat Qatar, who left the competition without a single point, a first for a host country.
Relying only on themselves, the Senegalese push entry. In a tight and intense match, it was on an Ecuadorian foul that the meeting ended up being settled. At the 43e minute, Piero Hincapie comes to cut Ismaïla Sarr’s race. An irregular charge sanctioned by the referee of the meeting, who offers the Senegalese a penalty. The same Ismaïla Sarr does not need to be asked to transform the offering and allow his teammates to return to the locker room with a goal lead (1-0, 44e).
An eighth without Idrissa Gueye
Largely dominated in the first period, the Ecuadorians return from the locker room with more determination. Tri players are rewarded for their efforts at the 68e minute on a corner from the right. The ball is first deflected before landing at the feet of Moises Caicedo, who only has to push it into the back of the opposing nets (1-1).
But the Ecuadorian joy is only short-lived. Less than three minutes later, on a Senegalese free kick, Kalidou Koulibaly finds himself in the path of the ball after a scramble in the South American area. The Senegalese captain then sends a superb shot into the opposite side netting to restore the advantage to his team (2-1, 70e) and send them to the round of 16.
Four years after a cruel elimination in hens, the Lions of Teranga join their elders of 2002, two years to the day after the death of Papa Bouba Diop, scorer against France during the 2002 World Cup. The Senegalese, second in group A behind the Netherlands, do not yet know their opponent, but they will face the winner of group B. The choice: England, Iran, the United States or Wales.
However, they will have to do without Idrissa Gueye. The former PSG midfielder has been warned for the second time since the start of the World Cup and will therefore be suspended for the next match