Senegal went into the deciding match at the Khalifa International Stadium with three points from their first two Group A matches.
Ecuador finished fourth.
In other words, the conditions were given:
● Senegal were beaten to win, taking second place and reaching the round of 16.
● A draw was enough for Ecuador.
The picture of the match was then. Ecuador took no chances, Senegal poured in with what they had. Initially it was quite a lot, but not with the necessary sharpness in decisive moments.
Idrissa Gueye and Boulaye Dia he burned through two good chances even before the match had ten minutes. Iliman Ndiaye took his place in the party that didn’t get the ball when the shot from a good position was too weak.
The golden situation arrived a few minutes from the end of the first half. Piero Hincapie awkwardly and unnecessarily brought down Sweden international player Ken Sema’s Watford club-mate Ismaila Sarr inside the penalty area.
Sarr got up, touched the ball, placed it on the penalty spot and had to wait while referee Clement Turpin ordered goalkeeper Hernán Galindez to stay on the line.
Sarr stumbled a few steps, waited for Galindez and sent Senegal’s lead wide of the post.
The roles have reversed, Ecuador needed the equalizer and brought players forward while Senegal went defensive.
The equalizer came midway through the second half, when Moisés Caicedo headed in 1–1 from a corner.
The Ecuadorian joy was only temporary. Just over a minute later, central defender Kalidou Koulibaly made it 2-1 and the Senegalese kept the lead.
Senegal have only made it through the group stage once in a play-off. It was 2002 and that round of 16 was a dark day in the history of the Swedish national team. Senegal won 2-1 thanks to a so-called ‘golden goal’ from Henri Camara after extra time in Oita, Japan.
