Senegal joined Netherlands within the pre-quarter finals from Group A with a 2-1 win in opposition to Ecuador on the Khalifa Worldwide Stadium right here on Tuesday. Denied by a fairplay rule in Russia that noticed Japan qualify for the spherical of 16 as a result of they’d fewer yellow playing cards, there could be no denying the Teranga Lions this time. On the second dying anniversary of his Senegal teammate Papa Bouba Diop, it left coach African champions’ coach Aliou Cisse visibly emotional.
That is the primary time for the reason that fairytale run of 2002 once they made the quarter-finals and had shocked defending champions France within the opener by way of Diop’s objective that Senegal have gotten out of the group. Cisse was a participant then. Idrissa Gueye noticed a yellow card on Tuesday and can be suspended from the knockout sport.
Regardless of starting with a win in opposition to Qatar and holding Holland 1-1, Ecuador will go residence after their first loss having completed on 4 factors.
Senegal led by way of Ismaila Sarr’s forty fourth minute penalty however with higher high quality of supply and accuracy in entrance of objective, may have put the match to mattress by half-time. They attacked extra by way of the fitting with proper again Youssouf Sabaly, proper aspect ahead Iliman-Chiekh Ndiaye and Idrissa Gueye forming triangles Ecuador discovered tough to cope with.
Needing a draw to advance, Ecuador started with a excessive line and in the event that they weren’t punished quickly after kick-off, it was as a result of Gueye couldn’t preserve his shot on the right track. It was the identical with lone ahead Boulaye Dia within the eighth minute. Then, Ismail Jakobs swung one for Sarr however it had an excessive amount of curl and was too quick. Earlier than that Ndiaye shot out from shut.
Between these misses, Ecuador received a free-kick and Enner Valencia, who has come fairly a distance from milking cows in his father’s farm, banged it into the wall and noticed his try off the rebound blocked.
Ecuador settled down however Senegal had been at all times in cost. On the left, Sarr was profitable his duel with Angel Preciado and confronted the brunt of loads of bodily challenges, amongst them one from behind by half-time substitute midfielder Jose Cifuentes within the 62nd minute. Within the 78th minute, Sarr left Preciado trailing however not earlier than the fitting again had harassed him sufficient to make sure the Senegalese didn’t get a transparent shot on objective.
Taking part in with a dodgy knee that noticed him taken off in each video games, Valencia fell awkwardly after a sort out from centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly – the Senegal centre-back wore an arm band remembering Diop on his second dying anniversary – and seemed to be in ache. Valencia additionally went down in first-half stoppage time holding his left knee after pushing Sabaly and having the Senegalese’s leg planted on his. Seeing Italian referee Clement Turpin not taking drastic motion Valencia acquired up and continued after some pushing and shoving from each side.
However the contest stayed bodily and Sarr was clattered into by centre-back Piero Hincapie resulting in the penalty. Up stepped Sarr and confirmed he wasn’t bothered by Ecuador goalie Hernan Galindez standing nonetheless until late. As Galindez crouched and leaned to his proper, he noticed the ball stepping into the wrong way.
Like they did in opposition to Holland, Ecuador confirmed they had been removed from completed. Caicedo equalised within the 67th minute following what regarded like a coaching floor routine for a free kick. Hincapie swung the ball in and Felix Torres leapt highest to cushion the ball into Caicedo’s path. Ecuador celebrated by gamers forming kneeling in a circle past the byline, elevating their arms and looking out up.
Three minutes later Ecuador had been chasing the sport once more. This too regarded like a drill honed by way of the hours spent in coaching. The free-kick from the fitting was swung into the combo of our bodies and redirected to Koulibaly who, making mild of the awkward bounce, fired residence a robust volley. This time there could be no comebacks. Edouard Mendy getting sufficient hand to maintain out a ball from reaching Caicedo deep in second-half stoppage time ensured that.