Qatar-Senegal 1-3: goals from Dia, Diedhiou, Muntari and Dieng | World Cup

From our correspondent Filippo Maria Ricci

November 25th
-Doha

No, it wasn’t the emotion. Nor the pressure of an entire country. This Qatar is just very scarce. After the 2-0 remedied debut against Ecuador, this afternoon they lost 3-1 against Senegal, thus offering the needy African continent its first victory in this World Cup, at the sixth attempt. The unprecedented challenge between the two nations, Asian champions against African champions, made history just for a few minutes of the second half, when the hosts showed a blaze of pride.

PRIDE

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They were stopped by two great saves by Mendy on Almoez and Ismail, with the Chelsea goalkeeper thus redeeming himself after the two ducks against the Netherlands that had punished Senegal. We were up 2-0, thanks to the goals of the two central forwards from Senegal, deployed with an offensive 4-2-4. Prima Dia, served in a grotesque way by the umpteenth svirgolata of Khoukhi, an Algerian who is not known why he was naturalized by Qatar, and then Diedhiou, in the net with a header from a corner by Jakobs. The Salernitana striker scored in the 41st minute, the second goal came in the 3rd minute of the second half.

SHORT JOY

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Only at that point, virtually eliminated, did Qatar react. Mendy’s two saves and Muntari’s goal arrived, a Ghanaian thrown in for Almoez who jumped on Koulibaly’s head to give a modicum of hope to the more than 40,000 present at Al Thumama. It was the 78th minute, and the great Qatari joy was quickly extinguished by Dieng’s goal, only in the area after a cross by Iliman Ndiaye, which arrived in the 84th minute.

VIRTUALLY OUT

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Qatar isn’t eliminated yet, but it will be if Ecuador doesn’t beat the Netherlands, and in any case their World Cup is compromised. They had worked 12 years to build this team, it didn’t go very well. Senegal, on the other hand, can continue to hope: the match against Ecuador will be a final.