first victory for the African champions

THE MATCH
Immediate redemption of Senegal, which beats Qatar 3-1 and remains fully in the running for qualification for the round of 16. The Africans immediately went close to scoring with Sarr’s shot, then the hosts protested for a contact between Afif and Sarr again, protagonist with two other attempts stopped by Barsham. In the 41st minute, however, the match unlocked: a sensational mistake by Khoukhi who favors Dia. The Salernitana striker made no mistake and netted the 1-0 for Cissé’s formation with which the first half ended.

In the second half the goal was immediately doubled: Jakobs’ corner and Diedhiou’s perfect header at the near post, who made it 2-0 in the 48th minute. Qatar tries to react with Almoez Ali’s left foot in the corner, but Mendy is good at relaxing and putting in a corner. The Chelsea goalkeeper was essential then in the 67th minute on Mohammad to remove the ball from goal with a super intervention. In the end, however, Qatar’s first goal in the home World Cup came in the 78th minute: a cross from the right by Mohammad and a header by Muntari, who made it 1-2. It is, however, an illusion: in the 84th minute, in fact, Pape Sarr goes away on the right and serves Dieng, who has no problems getting the final 3-1 on goal. A success that relaunches Senegal, which will close the group with Ecuador in a fundamental match for the African champions

The landlord Qatar, on the other hand, is almost out of its World Cup: the elimination could be official already in the event of Ecuador’s lack of success with the Netherlands, the last opponent of Sanchez’s men.

THE TABLE
QATAR-SENEGAL 1-3
Qatar (5-3-2): Barsham 6; Pedro Miguel 5.5 (38′ st Waad sv), Mohammad 6.5, Koukhi 5, Hassan 5.5, Ahmed 6 (38′ st Salman sv); Al Haydos 5.5 (29′ st Muntari 7), Boudiaf 5.5 (24′ st Hatem 6), Madibo 6; Almoez Ali 5.5, Afif 6. A device: Al Sheeb, Hassan, Alaeeldin, Assadalla, Khoder, Mazeed, Al Hajri, Al Hadhrami, Abdulsallam, Meshaal. All.: Sanchez
Senegal (4-2-3-1): Mendy E. 7; Sabaly 6.5, Koulibaly 6, Jacobs 6.5 (33′ st Cisse 6.5), Diallo 6; Gueye 5.5, Mendy N. 5.5 (33rd Sarr P. 6.5); Diatta 6 (19’st Ciss 6), Diedhiou 7 (29’st Dieng B.7), Sarr 6.5 (29’st Ndiaye 6); Day A device: Dieng S., Gomis, Mendy F., Jackson, N’Diaye, Name, Loum, Gueye. All.: Cisse 6.5
Referee: Lahoz (Thermae)
Markers: 41′ Dia (L), 3′ st Diedhiou (L), 33′ st Muntari (Q), 39′ st Dieng (L)
Ammonite yourself: Mohammad (Q), Dia (S), Ahmed (Q), Jakobs (S), Ciss (S), Madibo (Q)

THE STATISTICS
Senegal won a World Cup match by more than a single goal difference for the first time, making it their 10th match in the competition.
Senegal have scored three goals in a single World Cup match for only the second time in their history, following a 3-3 draw against Uruguay in 2002.
Qatar became the first host team to lose two matches in the group stage of a single edition of the World Cup.
In the 63rd minute of the game, in Qatar’s second match at the World Cup, Almoez Ali made the team’s first shot on target of the tournament.
Prior to Muntari today, a substitute on the bench had failed to score his first international goal in the World Cup since Panama’s Felipe Baloy’s goal against England in 2018.
Boulaye Dia’s goal ended Senegal’s 240-minute goalless run at the World Cup, dating back to Moussa Wague’s against Japan in 2018. It capped a run of 31 goalless shots for the side in the competition.
Boulaye Dia has scored twice in his last four games for Senegal after only once in his first 17.
At the age of 29 years and 345 days, Famara Diédhiou became Senegal’s oldest goalscorer in World Cup history.
Famara Diédhiou scored Senegal’s first header in World Cup history.
Mohammed Muntari scored Qatar’s first goal at the World Cup with the team’s 12th shot of the competition.