Substitute Mohammed Muntari scored Qatar’s first ever World Cup goal late in the second half, but it turned out to be just a consolation for the home side. Senegal went into the halftime break with a 1-0 lead and doubled the advantage soon after the start of the second half. Boulaye Dia scored the first goal in the 41st minute, before Famara Diedhiou made it 2-0 for Senegal in the 48th minute.
Mutari reduced the gap in the 78th minute to give the home fans some hopes, which lasted just six minutes with substitute Bamba Dieng restoring the two-goal advantage for Senegal in the 84th minute. The third goal sealed the game for the African side, who now have three points from two games and remain in contention for the next round.
Lift off for Senegal 🙌@adidasfootball | #FIFAWorldCup
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Whereas, the second defeat in as many games left Qatar tantalisingly close to elimination.
A win or a draw for Netherlands against Ecuador, who beat Qatar in the tournament’s opening game, later on Friday will see the Qataris become the first side mathematically eliminated from the competition.
The opening-night nerves were nowhere to be seen as Qatar quickly got to grips with Senegal and they should have had a penalty when Ismaila Sarr bundled over Akram Afif, but Spanish referee Antonio Mateu waved away their pleas and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) did not intervene.
With Qatar defending well, it was going to take either a moment of magic or a catastrophic mistake for Senegal to break the deadlock, and unfortunately for Qatar defender Boualem Khoukhi, it turned out to be the latter.
His attempt to clear a routine low pass into the box by Krepin Diatta went disastrously wrong as he went to ground without making proper contact with the ball.
Khoukhi’s fluffed effort allowed Dia to pounce, and the 26-year-old striker needed no second invitation to rattle the ball in at the near post to give Senegal the lead.
With the Qatari crowd thinned out somewhat at the start of the second half, Famara Diedhou doubled Senegal’s advantage with a brilliant glancing header from an Ismail Jakobs corner in the 48th minute.
Muntari reduced the deficit in the 78th with a bullet header from Ismail Mohamad’s cross but Senegal substitute Bamba Dieng swept home his side’s third to consign Qatar to the bottom of Group A with no points, while their group rivals all have three.
(With inputs from agencies)
