of HUSSEIN HUSSAIN in Doha, Qatar
special correspondent
Doha, (CAJ News) – With the Netherlands a safe bet to advance to the knockout stages, Senegal must beat Ecuador on Tuesday if they want to stay in the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Third-placed Senegal will face the South Americans in their final Group A match at the Khalifa International, while the Dutch are favorites to beat the already eliminated hosts in the other fixture at Al Bayt.
It will take an upset of the century for pitiful and useless Qatar to get anything out of the game against A Clockwork Orange.
West Africans Senegal, the reigning champions from the African continent, are third with three points, while Ecuador and the Netherlands are together on top with four points.
A draw might not be enough for the Teranga Lions as they have a goal difference of zero while the co-leaders have two.
Tuesday’s match will mark the second meeting between Ecuador and Senegal.
History favors the Senegalese as they won a friendly 1-0 ahead of the 2002 World Cup as both teams prepared for their world tournament debut.
Aliou Cissé, Senegal’s coach, will place his hopes on Boulaye Dia, Famara Diedhiou and Bamba Dieng for the goals.
Gustavo Alfaro’s Tricolor sweats because of the physical state of the talisman Enner Valencia. Ecuador’s all-time top scorer is struggling with a knee problem.
Group B also comes to an end on Tuesday, with one match between political rivals and another between allies.
The United States (two points), third, and Iran (three points), second, will meet at Al Thumama.
They are political enemies.
Their meeting at France ’98 was dubbed the “Mother of All Games” and described as the most politically charged game in World Cup history.
Iran won 2-1 and the power of the beautiful game to unite was shown when the Iranian players presented white roses to their opponents as a symbol of peace.
The other Group B match features UK allies England (up four points) and Wales (down one point) in the Ahmed bin Ali.
That friendship will be set aside with a spot in the next round on the line.
– CAJ News
