KALIDOU KOULIBALY fulfilled Senegal’s World Cup dreams with an impressive winner.
The Chelsea defender and captain of the African champions scored a volley that propelled them into the tie at the expense of Ecuador.
The purpose a sublime end to the intuition of a loose shot in the 70th minute.
An outgoing free kick bounced off Ecuadorian captain Enner Valencia and Koulibaly pounced to bury a ferocious volley in the opposite corner of the net.
It was even more dramatic as Senegal had conceded the equaliser just 3 minutes earlier and that would have been enough to get them out, the South Americans went into this all-or-nothing clash.
There’s also a comforting touch to Koulibaly’s magical moment when he wore the number 19 on his armband in tribute to his foreign teammate and former Fulham midfielder Papa Boupa Diop, who passed away two years ago today.
Senegal finished momentarily in Group A behind the Netherlands and faced an imaginable first meeting with England in the knockout stages.
The two countries have never faced each other abroad and may now face another in the biggest of all.
Koulibaly’s sublime goal was the last word in an attack that Senegal deserved to win against a mediocre and cynical opposition.
Ecuadorian striker Moises Caceido in the 67th minute only shot on goal at the time.
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And his lackluster functionality combined with injury issues on a big night for the country led to frustration and unsportsmanlike habit with widespread acting.
However, Senegal led through former Portsmouth and Birmingham City midfielder Alious Cissé, who took the lead by winning a penalty.
Watford winger Ismaila Sarr knocked out through Piero Hincapie.
He then won the war of nerves with Hernán Galíndez to keep his eyes fixed on the goalkeeper while planting the ball in the right back corner of the goal.
Ecuador retreated through a sloppy Senegalese marking in a corner when the Africans failed to undo their offside trap in time and Caicedo failed to score from a backyard to direct a shot.
Kouliably’s Stamford Bridge teammate Edouard Mendy didn’t have much to do on Senegal’s goal by taking the ball out of the net in the equaliser.
If the pair faced England, they would face teammates Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling on the other side of the field.
He shot a corner in added time as Ecuador set an expired rate to pass.
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