The first team to host the World Cup and exit after just two games make Qatar the worst host nation in World Cup history.
After losing their opening match against Ecuador on Sunday in which they failed to register a single shot on goal, Qatar performed marginally better against AFCON champions Senegal on Friday but ultimately fell short 3-1.
The writing was on the wall once Famara Diedhiou gave Senegal a 2-0 lead shortly after halftime in their first-ever World Cup appearance.
When he scored Qatar’s first-ever World Cup goal and cut the deficit with 12 minutes left, Mohammed Muntari at least contributed to a small portion of positive history.
Their happiness, however, was short-lived as Senegal’s victory was confirmed and extended just six minutes later by a goal from Bamba Dieng, giving Africa its first victory.
Didier Drogba, a former Chelsea player, and Ivory Coast legend, told the BBC that there has finally been a victory for an African team at the competition.
However, he wished Senegal had scored more goals. They stopped attacking when the score was 2-1, and who knows if this will ultimately cost them qualification.
Although he didn’t think Senegal played particularly well today, a lot will depend on how the Dutch team performs against Ecuador.
At the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Senegal will have complete control over their fate when playing the South Americans, who tied the Netherlands 1-1.
Cody Gakpo, who is in fine form, gave the Netherlands the lead early on, but Enner Valencia, who scored twice in Ecuador’s opening victory over the hosts Qatar, scored an equalizer in the second half.
The leader of Qatar, Felix Sanchez, stated that they wanted to be competitive. They have been putting in a lot of effort for months to deliver a strong performance.
However, there are times when the game does not go as planned. It also depends on how well the opposition performs. They did not compete at our highest level.
They understand how difficult this competition is. They wanted to travel far, but as a nation they were limited.
