Qatar’s elimination from the 2022 World Cup has been confirmed following the 1-1 draw between the Netherlands and Senegal elsewhere in Group A.
A stalemate between the two sides was all it took to ensure that Qatar took the unfortunate record of being the earliest eliminated hosts in World Cup history after they lost their second group stage game to Senegal earlier in the day.
Felix Sanchez’s side endured a difficult start to the tournament in their own country, kicking off the first day of the World Cup by receiving a humbling defeat at the hands of Ecuador.
Enner Valencia’s first-half brace was enough to make sure the hosts stayed down in what was a tough night at the office, where Qatar looked massively out of their depth despite having brought their domestic league to a premature halt in order to prepare for the World Cup.
Because Ecuador and the Netherlands now sit on four points each in Group A and Senegal sit on three after beating Qatar, it means the host nation mathematically have no chance, even if they did manage to shock the world and beat the Netherlands in their final game on Tuesday.
They join South Africa as the only host nations to be eliminated from the World Cup during the group stage. But unfortunately for Qatar, the 2010 hosts kept their hopes of reaching the knockouts alive until their third and final matchday, losing out to Mexico on goal difference.
Despite a shaky start, Qatar made a better effort of their second game and stayed in the match for longer periods, enjoying a period of sustained pressure in the final half an hour against Senegal and even being denied what looked a clear penalty in the first half. The African champions hung on, though, to claim a 2-1 victory.
Credit: 90min.com
