Senegal wins 3-1 to put Qatar on brink of FIFA World Cup exit

Despite Mohammed Muntari scoring Qatar’s first-ever World Cup finals goal in a 3-1 loss to Senegal on Friday at the Al Thumama Stadium, host nation Qatar is dangerously close to being eliminated from the tournament.

Qatar will be the first team mathematically eliminated from the competition if the Netherlands defeat Ecuador, which defeated Qatar in the tournament’s opening match, on Friday.

Ismaila Sarr’s tripping of Akram Afif should have resulted in a penalty kick, but Spanish referee Antonio Mateu waved away their appeals and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) did not step in. The opening-night anxieties were nowhere to be seen as Qatar soon got to grips with Senegal.

Irate Cameroonians attacked Swiss footballer Embolo’s home after he scored in the tournament’s opening match against his native nation.

Senegal needed to score to tie the game, but with Qatar’s strong defense, it would either require a miraculous play or a disastrous error. Unfortunately for Qatar defender Boualem Khoukhi, the latter occurred.

Krepin Diatta’s typical low pass into the box, which was his attempt to clear, went horribly awry when he went to the ground without making adequate contact with the ball.

Dia pounced as Khoukhi’s shot failed, and the 26-year-old attacker needed no further encouragement to slam the ball home at the near post to give Senegal the lead.

In the 48th minute, Famara Diedhou extended Senegal’s lead with a spectacular glancing header from an Ismail Jakobs corner as the Qatari audience was starting to thin out a little at the start of the second half.

Muntari cut the deficit in half in the 78th minute with a powerful header from Ismail Mohamad’s cross, but Senegal’s third goal, scored by substitute Bamba Dieng, dropped Qatar to the bottom of Group A with nil points while its group competitors all had three.