DOHA (dpa-AFX) – The co-favorites Netherlands and England qualified unbeaten for the round of 16 at the World Cup in Qatar. Senegal and the USA can also look forward to jumping into the knockout stages.
Bonds coach Louis van Gaal’s Dutch team won 2-0 (1-0) against hosts Qatar without a shine on Tuesday, making it the group’s first in the knockout stages. In the round of 16 on Saturday, they face the USA, who won the politically explosive duel with Iran 1-0 (1-0). African champions Senegal prevailed against Ecuador 2-1 (1-0) and will now face the English on Sunday, who remained sovereign in the 3-0 (0-0) win against Wales.
The Netherlands were overwhelmingly superior against Qatar, but missed too many chances. Only Cody Gakpo (26th minute) scored for Elftal before the break. It was the third goal in the third game for the PSV Eindhoven striker. After the break, Frenkie de Jong (49′) raised for the Oranje team, who will have to improve as the tournament progresses to really be in contention for the title.
In an emotional way, Senegal made it into a World Cup round of 16 for the second time since 2002. Even without the injured top star Sadio Mané, the necessary victory was achieved in the decisive group game against Ecuador. On the second anniversary of the death of the 2002 World Cup hero, Papa Bouba Diop, Ismaila Sarr (44th minute) converted a penalty kick. In addition, captain Kalidou Koulibaly (70th) scored in front of 44,569 spectators just 152 seconds after the equalizer by Ecuador’s England manager Moises Caicedo (68th).
Double goalscorer Marcus Rashford (50th minute/68th) and Phil Foden (51st) ensured the deserved victory for the English. The Welsh team around star striker Gareth Bale, who was substituted at half-time, say goodbye to their long-awaited first World Cup since 1958 after three preliminary round games with one point and just one goal.
Former Bundesliga professional Christian Pulisic led the USA to the round of 16 with his goal (38th), which the Americans last reached in 2014. Iran, on the other hand, has never survived the World Cup preliminary round. Politically, both countries are hostile to each other.
In the third German group game at the World Cup in Qatar against Costa Rica, football history will be written regardless of the result. French referee Stéphanie Frappart will become the first woman to officiate a match in the long history of the men’s World Cup. The appointment was announced by the world association FIFA on Tuesday.
In the German camp, the focus was on the group final on Thursday (8:00 p.m.). “We are now going absolutely into the tunnel of preparation,” said attacker Thomas Müller. National coach Hansi Flick did without Leon Goretzka, Thilo Kehrer and David Raum in training two days before the last group game. The trio was absent from the unit in the stadium in Al-Shamal for reasons of load control, as the DFB announced. Offensive player Leroy Sané, on the other hand, was available to the national coach for the practice session.
The DFB selection must win against Costa Rica in order to still be able to move into the World Cup round of 16 as runners-up. The parallel game between Spain and Japan also decides on the final placement in Group E. The Spaniards lead the group with four points ahead of Japan and South Korea (3 each) and the still winless German team (1). The first and second in the group progress./lar/DP/jha