AP

Koulibaly’s goal puts Senegal into round of 16 at World Cup

Nov 28, 2022, 7:07 PM | Updated: Nov 29, 2022, 2:10 pm

Ecuador's goalkeeper Hernan Galindez is comforted by Senegal's Kalidou Koulibaly after losing the W...

Ecuador's goalkeeper Hernan Galindez is comforted by Senegal's Kalidou Koulibaly after losing the World Cup group A soccer match between Ecuador and Senegal, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

(AP Photo/Francisco Seco)


              Ecuador's goalkeeper Hernan Galindez is comforted by Senegal's Kalidou Koulibaly after losing the World Cup group A soccer match between Ecuador and Senegal, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
            
              Senegal's Ismaila Sarr, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring a penalty, the opening goal of his team, during the World Cup group A soccer match between Ecuador and Senegal, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
            
              Senegal's Ismaila Sarr, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring a penalty, the opening goal of his team, during the World Cup group A soccer match between Ecuador and Senegal, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
            
              Senegal's Kalidou Koulibaly celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the World Cup group A soccer match between Ecuador and Senegal, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
            
              Ecuador's goalkeeper Hernan Galindez is comforted by Senegal's Kalidou Koulibaly after losing the World Cup group A soccer match between Ecuador and Senegal, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
            
              Senegal players celebrate scoring their side's second goal during the World Cup group A soccer match between Ecuador and Senegal, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
            
              Senegal's Ismaila Sarr, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring a penalty, the opening goal of his team, during the World Cup group A soccer match between Ecuador and Senegal, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
            
              Senegal's Ismaila Sarr, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring a penalty, the opening goal of his team, during the World Cup group A soccer match between Ecuador and Senegal, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
            
              Senegal's Kalidou Koulibaly celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the World Cup group A soccer match between Ecuador and Senegal, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
            
              Senegal players celebrate scoring their side's second goal during the World Cup group A soccer match between Ecuador and Senegal, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
            
              Senegal's Ismaila Sarr, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring a penalty, the opening goal of his team, during the World Cup group A soccer match between Ecuador and Senegal, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
            
              Senegal's Kalidou Koulibaly, middle, celebrates after scoring during the World Cup group A soccer match between Ecuador and Senegal, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
            
              Ecuador's Carlos Gruezo, left, and Senegal's Pape Gueye vie for the ball during the World Cup group A soccer match between Ecuador and Senegal, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
            
              Senegal's Formose Mendy, right, and Ecuador's Enner Valencia challenge for the ball during the World Cup group A soccer match between Ecuador and Senegal, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
            
              Senegal's Pape Gueye, left, and Ecuador's Michael Estrada go for a header during the World Cup group A soccer match between Ecuador and Senegal, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
            
              Temmates celebrate with Senegal's Bamba Dieng after he scored their third goal against Qatar during a World Cup group A soccer match at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Friday, Nov. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Petr Josek)
            
              Senegal's Famara Diedhiou scores his side's second goal during the World Cup group A soccer match between Qatar and Senegal, at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Friday, Nov. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
            
              Senegal's Kalidou Koulibaly, right, celebrates with teammates scoring his side's second goal during the World Cup group A soccer match between Ecuador and Senegal, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) — Kalidou Koulibaly literally drew inspiration on his captain’s armband, writing the No. 19 on it in memory of one of Senegal’s most loved players.

Then Koulibaly became one himself.

The Senegal captain scored the winning goal in the 2-1 victory over Ecuador on Tuesday, putting his team into the round of 16 at the World Cup despite the absence of the injured Sadio Mane, the team’s best player and one of the best strikers in the world.

The No. 19 was to honor Papa Bouba Diop, the Senegal midfielder who scored the winning goal against defending champion France in the opening game of the 2002 World Cup. It was one of Senegal’s greatest soccer moments and a victory that started that team’s run to the quarterfinals — still Senegal’s best performance.

“We wanted to make him proud. We wanted to give homage to him,” Koulibaly said of Diop, who died at the age of 42 exactly two years ago Tuesday. “He was the one who made me dream when I was a boy. This was something we weren’t going to let slip.

“Thank God I was there to send that ball into the back of the net.”

Only a win against Ecuador would have taken Senegal through to the next round from Group A, and Koulibaly scored the goal that made it happen at Khalifa International Stadium.

A free kick from Idrissa Gueye bounced off an opponent and came his way. Koulibaly threw out his right foot and hit it past Ecuador goalkeeper Hernan Galindez in the 70th minute. Koulibaly then sprinted toward the corner flag and slid on his knees to celebrate.

The African champions took the lead after a first-half penalty from Ismaila Sarr. But Moises Caicedo evened the score when he was left unmarked after a corner kick in the 67th minute.

At 1-1, Ecuador was going to advance and Senegal was out.

That result would have been as agonizing as Senegal’s early elimination four years ago, when the team finished the group stage with a loss to Colombia and even on points with Japan. Senegal was eliminated on a fair play rule because it had picked up two more yellow cards than the Japanese.

This year, Senegal coach Aliou Cisse was forced to reinvent his forward line following the injury to Mane, who sent the team a message before the match. Koulibaly said the Bayern Munich striker has also been an inspiration for the team despite not being in Qatar.

“When it came to his (Mane’s) injury, two thirds of the world probably doubted that we would be able to qualify,” Koulibaly said.

Senegal lost its opening match against the Netherlands 2-0 but gave itself a chance with a 3-1 win over host Qatar. Still, the team needed a victory over Ecuador.

“We were up against a brick wall,” Cisse said.

The 24-year-old Sarr won the penalty when he was knocked over by a clumsy challenge from Ecuador defender Piero Hincapie just before halftime. He side-footed his penalty into the bottom right corner in the 44th minute and almost the entire Senegal bench and coaching staff ran to him.

Sarr also headed over to the corner flag to celebrate while putting his hands over his eyes.

He can look now, because Senegal has at least one more match to play.

SENEGAL’S QUEST

Senegal now has a chance match, or even better, the country’s scintillating run to the quarterfinals in 2002, when Cisse was the captain and the team equaled Africa’s best performance at a World Cup. No African team has made the semifinals.

ECUADOR EMOTION

It was the end of a strong campaign for Ecuador and striker Enner Valencia, who had scored his team’s first three goals at this year’s World Cup and played against Senegal despite struggling with a bad knee strain. Valencia was left consoling Galindez, who was tearing up near the end of the game and couldn’t hold back after the final whistle as he cried on Valencia’s shoulder.

WHAT’S NEXT

Senegal will play England in the round of 16 on Sunday. The Netherlands, which won Group A, will face the United States on Saturday.

___

AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Koulibaly’s goal puts Senegal into round of 16 at World Cup