Group A 2022 FIFA World Cup Review: Senegal Make Last 16!

Group A 2022 FIFA World Cup Review: Senegal Make Last 16! The African champions have qualified from the group stages.

Senegal defeated Ecuador 2-1 to qualify to the last 16 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. They will face England in the next round.

Ecuador 1:2 Senegal – Group A

Goals – Ecuador: Moises Caicedo (68’) Senegal: Ismailla Sarr (44’), Kalidou Koulibaly (70’)

Going into the encounter, the permutations were simple for each team; Ecuador only needed a draw to qualify while Senegal had to claim all three points to make it to the next round.

The African champions played like a team trying to qualify. They won a first half penalty just before half time which was slotted away by Watford FC forward Ismailla Sarr.

The South Americans equalised in the second half through a contentious strike from Moises Caicedo. Two minutes later, Chelsea FC defender and captain in the absence of Sadio Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly scored from a corner.

The scored remained 2-1, giving Senegal a 2^nd place finish in their group.

Coach Aliou Cisse paid homage to the injured Sadio Mané, “I would like to dedicate this victory to a man who is doing extraordinary things for the country, who is unfortunately not here today. This man is called Sadio Mané” Cisse told the FIFA media.

“We know that we are moving to the knockout stage, which is completely different from what we are used to playing in these types of [group] matches. Everyone is a good team, the best teams in the world that are competing.

“Therefore, we need to be prepared to come up against any side.” He added.

“I am in pain over this defeat,” Ecuador coach Gustavo Alfaro spoke.

“We all are. It is a hard blow.

“It is a big frustration that we are feeling. We knew that details could make all the difference and unfortunately that’s what happened in this match.

“Unfortunately, we made mistakes in the decisive match.

“This leaves us with a bad feeling because we wanted to go through and stay on this road we had been following. The pain that we all feel right now, which Ecuador is feeling, is a huge pain.” He spoke.

Man of the Match: Kalidou Koulibaly. Group A 2022 FIFA World Cup Review: Senegal Make Last 16!