What distinguishes us as human beings is the way we look at the world and position ourselves before it. The greatest possible cultural contrast was experienced in the stands. The Senegalese, their faces painted in the colors of the country, waving flags and dancing as if the game were the music that rocked them. The Qataris, for whom football is a traveling spectacle, covered the stands of the Al Thumama Stadium in the white of Arab robes and watched the game with cold eyes.

The reception of the World Cup generated enthusiasm among the locals, but the team that represents them was as monotonous as the atmosphere in the stadiums in which they play. With the 5-3-2, Qatar once again showed a defensive posture and a lack of quality to, with the ball, reach the front in a supported manner. Quietly, Senegal opened up a two-goal lead. One to close the first part and another to start the second. In the first goal, Boulaye Dia took advantage of a Boualem Khoukhi slip to score. Then, Famara Diédhiou, after a corner in which he headed with the force with which he usually shoots with his foot, increased the advantage.

Qatar’s ineffectiveness was not constant. The start selection even pressed the button and turned on the power mode. With the game balanced, the conditions were created for the Qatari players to do something unprecedented until then: shoot on goal. They did it twice, but Édouard Mendy shone against Almoez (63′) and Ismail Mohamad (67′). Having figured out the way, it was just one step to reach the final destination. Muntari scored the goal that reduced the gap on the scoreboard.

Senegal was forced to revive competitive indices. By chance, he was able to do it in time to score a third goal, through Bamba Dieng (84 ‘), who closed the game in 3-1.

The Pearl

• Faced with the galvanization of the Qataris, Édouard Mendy had to make two great saves to postpone a historic goal scored by Mohamed Muntari???????? The striker’s name will be marked as belonging to the scorer of Qatar’s first goal in the World Cups.

the Joker

• Famara Diedhiou He appeared in the starting eleven as a substitute for the injured Cheikhou Kouyaté. A change that allowed coach Aliou Cissé to make a tactical change, from 4-2-3-1 to 4-4-2, where Diédhiou joined Boulaye Dia. Counting appearances for the club and the national team, the Alanyaspor player scored for the first time this season.

The phrase

• Qatar learned that participation in the World Cup hangs by a thread. A step that can be short and fleeting due to the tournament for which the home team prepared so much and where it would not be if it were not for the organizing country. They have, however, one more window of opportunity to move forward. Qatar needs Ecuador to beat the Netherlands this afternoon and is at the mercy of beating the Netherlands on matchday three with an advantageous goal difference. The Africans have high hopes of advancing in Group A, albeit with much to decide.

The lie

• After a failed performance against Ecuador, Saad Al-Sheeb, who started the Qatari goal in the opening game, ended up on the bench against Senegal. The coach Félix Sánchez launched Mesaal Barsham as main goalkeeper. You cannot judge the bet of the coach who, faced with a hole, tried to pick up the thread and sew it up, but the bet for a new guardian was not exactly fruitful. Barsham provided moments of great insecurity for the defence, especially in terms of footwork and crosses.