Senegal have qualified for the first knockout stage of the 2022 FIFA Qatar world cup. The teranga lions beat Ecuador 2-1 in a pulsating encounter that is arguably the best showing of the African champions at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar.
The important win ensured Senegal got six points, enough to sit second place in group A where Netherlands led with seven, having easily gone past hosts Qatar in a 2- 0 win,- a match played simultaneously with that of Senegal against Ecuador.
It is the first time that Senegal have claimed back-to-back World Cup victories and the third time the reigning Africa Cup of Nations holders have reached the knockout phase of the World Cup. Previous occasions were by Nigeria, when they reached the last 16 in 1994 and 2014.
For hosts Qatar, it was a sad ending. Though it was well known the show was over for the team, after been eliminated Friday when they lost to Senegal 3-1, their play for pride did not produce a result they had hoped for as Netherlands proved too good to beat or salvage anything from. 2-0 it ended for Netherlands.
(AP)
