Ecuador vs Senegal: Who will secure round of 16 spot?
Senegal and Ecuador will go toe to toe in a tense battle that will decide who will progress to the round of 16, and who will end up heading home early. With 2022 FIFA World Cup hosts Qatar already eliminated, there are three teams, including Senegal and Ecuador, all battling for two spots in the round of 16, while the Netherlands will be looking to stake their claim in the other Group A fixture.
Senegal, who are the reigning AFCON champions, come into this match having picked up a crucial 3-1 win over Qatar last time out. While the absence of star man Sadio Mane still leaves a big hole up front, goals from Boulaye Dia, Famara Diedhiou and Bamba Dieng were enough to give Aliou Cisse’s men a crucial victory – something they really needed after their poor showing against the Netherlands on matchday one. This match is a must-win for the African nation, as a draw may not be enough to see them through as the Netherlands are expected to beat Qatar and Ecuador already have four points from their first two games.
Meanwhile, Ecuador have done nearly just enough to secure a knockout round spot for themselves. When this group was announced, many had expected it to be the Netherlands and Senegal to get to the round of 16, but this World Cup has been full of its fair share of surprises. La Tri earned a comfortable 2-0 win over Qatar in their group stage opener, while Enner Valencia’s goal was enough to seal a point for them against the Netherlands. Valencia not only has three goals – joint-tied with none other than France’s Kylian Mbappe – but also has single-handedly been responsible for all four points his team have earned so far at this year’s World Cup.
With a spot in the round of 16 up for grabs, this could be a really tense match. As things stand, Ecuador do have the slight advantage as they come into this tie on four points, while Senegal have three. Of course, anything could happen, as Senegal did show massive signs of improvement in their second match – but Ecuador will naturally pose a sterner test than the 2022 FIFA World Cup hosts. Will the AFCON winners, who are just one of three African sides to reach the quarter-finals in World Cup history, be able to dig deep and pick up a crucial victory on Tuesday? Or will Ecuador, spearheaded by Enner Valencia, snatch at least a point and join the Netherlands in the first knockout rounds?
