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Another game of two halves for Senegal
How often does a team get caught between two stools when they don't have to push for a win and nearly lose? That's what happened to Senegal who only needed a draw with Uruguay to make the second round, raced into a 3-0 lead and nearly lost it all in the last minute. Uruguay pushed forward early and were made to pay the price by Senegal who scored three times in the first 38 minutes to reserve their place in the second round of the FIFA World Cup™ where they will face the winner of the Group F. Denmark finish first in Group A and will take on the runner-up from the "Group of Death." The referee awarded El Hadji Diouf a penalty kick in the 20th minute, which was converted by Khalilou Fadiga. Senegal added two further first-half goals by Papa Bouba Diop, who now has three in the tournament before Uruguay stormed back in the second half, getting goals from Richard Morales, Diego Forlan, and a penalty by Alvaro Recoba.. Goal: When Paolo Montero played a soft pass back to goalkeeper Fabian Carini, the speedy El Hadji Diouf slipped in to intercept and after rounding Carini, the referee, Mr. Jan Wegereef ruled the keeper pulled Diouf down and called a penalty kick. Khalilou Fadiga calmly stepped to the spot and placed his shot to the right of Carini, who guessed the opposite way (1:0, 20'). Goal: Senegal doubled the lead on a counter-attack putting Uruguay in serious peril. After beating his defender at midfield, Henri Camara raced down the left side. As he reached the penalty area, he slowed enough for Papa Bouba Diop to join the play and rip an 18-metre right-footer into the top-right corner (2:0, 26'). Goal: With no choice but to take chances, Uruguay were exposed in the back again and went down by three goals. Fadiga chipped a ball over the top of the back line and Diop did well to pop the ball over Carini on the volley and off the underside of the crossbar for his second goal of the match (3:0, 38'). Goal: Needing at least four goals to go through to the round of 16, Uruguay struck in the first minute of the second half. Silva's close-range shot was saved, but the rebound fell directly into the path of half-time substitute Richard Morales and he had no trouble finishing (3:1, 46'). Goal: Forlan brought Uruguay within one when he chested down a clearance by Diop 20 metres out and looped a volley into the far-side netting (3:2, 69'). Goal: Morales worked a clever one-two with Silva to break in on goal and was fouled in the area, setting up the equalising spot-kick from Recoba as stoppage time approached (3:3, 88'). Now needing just one goal to crush Senegal's dream, Uruguay had a final chance when Gustavo Varela's 20-metre effort was cleared off the line by Lamine Diatta and Morales rebound header was wide (92'). Afterwards Bruno Metsu,
the Senegalese coach said: "We did very well in the first half but
in the second half we had a lot of work to do. We didn't play very well
and the Uruguayan side scored very early goals and they forced a draw.
The draw was like a victory and I hope we come into the round of 16 with
courage and eagerness." "We are satisfied that we are in the round of 16. They will be tough matches because there will be the strongest teams like Argentina, Sweden and England. Our players proved their abilities and so we'd like to create another wonderful story for African football and create another big surprise." |
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In
Round 2 Ike
Shorunmu Lucas
Radebe Samuel
Eto'o In
Round 1 Metsu's
secret Profiles
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