The Netherlands and Senegal entered the last 16 of the World Cup 2022 on Tuesday after winning the last match of Group A. The Netherlands defeated hosts Qatar 2-0 at the Al Bayat Stadium, while Senegal beat South American team Ecuador 2-1 at the Khalifa International Stadium to become the first African team to pass the group stage this year.
With 2 wins and 1 draw, the Dutch team won the group with 7 points and reached the last 16. Senegal entered the knockout stage as runners-up in the group with 6 points from 2 wins and 1 loss. Ecuador became the first South American team to be eliminated from the tournament after they failed to get the results they wanted if they could avoid defeat in the last game.
The Netherlands, who put Qatar under pressure from the start, also created scoring opportunities. Although Sahaja failed to finish well on three occasions, the Dutch team took the lead in the first half with a goal by Cody Gakpo. He advanced the ball from Davy Klaassen’s pass from just inside the penalty area and converted a stunning goal in the 26th minute to take his tally to 3 in the Qatar edition. The 23-year-old forward also scored in a 2-0 win against Senegal and a 1-1 draw against Ecuador.
Barcelona midfielder Frank de Jong scored in the 49th minute to give the Dutch team a 2-0 lead. Memphis Depay’s cross from Klaassen was blocked by Qatari goalkeeper Barsam Mesal, but De Jong, who was nearby, easily headed the ball to the post, leading the Netherlands to victory.
Although Steven Burgess scored in the 68th minute, the goal was disallowed as the video assistant referee (VAR) saw Gakpo’s hand touch the ball during the move. The ball he hit in injury time hit the crossbar and went out.
The Dutch team extended its winning streak to 6 games against Asian teams in the World Cup. The Netherlands also went 16 matches unbeaten in the World Cup group stage. The Netherlands, runners-up in 1974, 1978, and 2010, were eliminated in European qualification at the World Cup in Russia four years ago. Captained by Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, the team will be looking for a great result when they return to the World Cup after 8 years. The Dutch team finished third in Brazil (2014).
After losing 2-0 against Ecuador in the opening match and 3-1 against African team Senegal, Qatar became the fastest team to be eliminated from the tournament in the 92-year history of the World Cup. The Netherlands then ended a streak of three consecutive defeats in Qatar’s World Cup debut. Qatar is the second host team to be eliminated from the group stage. Earlier, this poor record was only achieved by South Africa (2010).
Aliou Cissé, the hero of the Senegal team who created a sensation by defeating the defending champion France in the opening match of 2022, is the current head coach of the team. Since then, Senegal has made it to the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time.
Coulibaly’s decisive goal
Smile Sir scored a penalty in the 44th minute to give Senegal the lead. However, Moises Caicedo scored a goal in the 67th minute to keep Ecuador’s chances of entering the knockout stage. Premier League club Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly scored the decisive goal in the 70th minute to send Senegal into the last 16.