Netherlands and Ecuador both began their FIFA World Cup campaigns with 2-0 wins over Senegal and host Qatar, respectively in Group A.
The second round of fixtures involves the Dutch facing Ecuador and Senegal playing against Qatar on Friday.
Group A round two matches (Timings in IST)
While the winner of the the match between Louis van Gaal’s Netherlands and Gustavo Alfaro’s Ecuador will almost confirm its spot for the Round of 16, the losing side will still remain in contention.
However, the doors for the knockout round might completely shut for the loser of the Senegal vs Qatar match.
RELATED WORLD CUP STORIES
- Scan the World Cup in pictures
- Football fans, put your skills to the test with FIFA World Cup Quiz
- Soak in the rich history of the football World Cup
- Here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the FIFA World Cup
If Netherlands beats Ecuador and Senegal beats Qatar, the Dutch will qualify for the round of 16 while the host nation will be knocked out. Similarly, if Ecuador beats Netherlands and Qatar beats Senegal, Ecuador will qualify for the round of 16 while the Netherlands-Qatar match will become a virtual knockout fixture.
In the event of a draw between Netherlands and Ecuador, the losing side of the Senegal vs Qatar fixture will definitely be eliminated from the tournament.
Things could get interesting if both - Netherlands vs Ecuador and Senegal vs Qatar - games end as draws as it would keep all four teams alive going into the final round of group stage fixtures.
Group A round three matches (Timings in IST)
Netherlands vs Qatar - 8:30PM on Tuesday, November 29 - Al Bayt Stadium
Ecuador vs Senegal - 8:30PM on Tuesday, November 29 - Khalifa International Stadium
Group A standings:
| Position | Teams | Matches | Won | Drawn | Lost | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| 1 | Netherlands | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 1 | Ecuador | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 2 | Senegal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
| 4 | Qatar | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
Comments
SHARE