2022 World Cup Group A: Final results and standings
Group A of the 2022 World Cup has reached its conclusion with Netherlands and Senegal securing their spot in the last 16.
Hosts Qatar went into the final round of fixtures already out of the competition, exiting with a whimper in their World Cup debut after successive defeats to Ecuador and Senegal. In their final game, they faced a Netherlands side who still had plenty left to do in their final match.
Louis van Gaal orchestrated an opening-day triumph over Senegal, though it was anything but routine, with Oranje requiring the inspiration of a late Cody Gakpo goal to finally breach Edouard Mendy’s net. They followed up with a draw to Ecuador, meaning they only needed a result against Qatar to qualify.
And they did get a 2-0 win in the end thanks to goals from Cody Gakpo and Frenkie de Jong, securing their spot as Group A winners. It also made Qatar the first ever individual host nation to lose as many as three matches at a single World Cup tournament, while also managing just one goal across their three games.
In the group’s other game it was all to play for, with Ecuador and Senegal both capable of qualifying for the last 16. Ecuador went into the game with the upper hand, hushing the hosts in their curtain-raiser before producing a memorable turnaround to secure a point against the Dutch.
Senegal, meanwhile, were humbled late on to the Netherlands, but were ruthless against Qatar on matchday two to stay one point behind Ecuador. For them it was simple, only a win would do, and that’s what they got thanks to goals from Ismaila Sarr and Kalidou Koulibaly – the latter’s strike a winner just moments after Moises Caicedo had equalised for Ecuador.
Netherlands will now face the runners-up of Group B in the last 16, USA, while Senegal take on the winners England.
2022 World Cup Group A fixtures and results
Sunday 20 November 2022
- Qatar 0-2 Ecuador, Al Bayt Stadium
Monday 21 November 2022
- Senegal 0-2 Netherlands, Al Thumama Stadium
Friday 25 November 2022
- Qatar 1-3 Senegal, Al Thumama Stadium
- Netherlands 1-1 Ecuador, Khalifa International Stadium
Tuesday 29 November 2022
- Ecuador 1-2 Senegal, Khalifa International Stadium
- Netherlands 2-0 Qatar, Al Bayt Stadium
2022 World Cup standings
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