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Qatar became the first team to be eliminated from the World Cup on Friday after Group A rivals the Netherlands and Ecuador drew 1-1.
The Dutch and Ecuador each have four points, Senegal has three. Qatar is without a point after they lost their opening game 2-0 to Ecuador and then went down 3-1 to Senegal earlier on Friday. They cannot qualify whatever happens in their final match against the Dutch on Tuesday.
Enner Valencia scored his third goal of the World Cup before being taken off on a stretcher as Ecuador drew with the Netherlands to leave Group A wide open.
PSV Eindhoven forward Cody Gakpo had given the Netherlands the lead after just five minutes and four seconds – the quickest goal so far in Qatar – when he struck a shot beautifully into the top of the net.
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But the Dutch struggled to build on their lead, with Ecuador’s Pervis Estupinan having a goal disallowed on the stroke of half-time.
The entire Ecuador squad ran over to the corner flag to celebrate with Valencia after he poked in the rebound from Estupinan’s parried shot in the 49th minute – and Gonzalo Plata hit the crossbar with a long-range effort shortly after.
Captain Valencia, who scored both goals in Ecuador’s victory over hosts Qatar on the opening night of the World Cup, was a constant threat but his night was cut short due to injury.
