Senegal register Africa’s first win in Qatar 2022

SENEGAL registered Africa's first victory at the Qatar FIFA World Cup after beating hosts 3-1in a Group A match at the Al Thumama Stadium yesterday.

In the Lions of Terranga’s second game of the tournament, the pressure was on them to win and secure Africa’s first victory ins Qatar 2022.

Playing against hosts Qatar didn’t rattle them. In the first-ever meeting between the two countries in the beautiful Al-Thumama stadium, Aliou Cissé’s team showed a dominant performance. Four minutes before the end of the first half, Boulaye Dia capitalised on the mistake of Qatar’s defence to score Senegal’s first goal of the game and the tournament.

The lions roared in the second half with an early goal, when Famara Diedhiou rose higher to meet Ismail Jakobs’ cross from a corner kick in the 48th minute. The Senegalese controlled the game. Their lead was troubled when Qatar’s substitute Mohammed Muntari scored a header, the first goal of Al Annabi in the history of the World Cup.

Muntari wrote himself in the history books with that goal. But it was not enough to stop Senegal from continuing their dominance and six minutes from the end of normal time, Bamba Dieng scored the third goal to take the game away from Qatar. “It was a decisive game because both teams had lost the opener,” coach Cisse said after the game. “WE are very happy to have won this game.”

This is the second World Cup game Aliou Cissé won as coach of Senegal after defeating Poland in the 2018 World Cup game in Russia. He also said an African team could win the world cup. “I hope this team is Senegal,” he said