Senegal Win In Coventry

Last updated : 23 April 2012 By Kev Monks

 

OMAN 0-2 SENEGAL AT CITY OF COVENTRY STADIUM

 

Oman: Al Abri, Al Musalmi, Al Jabri, Al Balushi, Al Nahar (Bamasila 64), Al Maqbali (Al Sadi 59), Al Hadhri, Al Azan Balushi (Qasim Hardan 76), Al Maashari, Raed Saleh, Al Saadi. Subs Al Mukhaini, Qasim Hardan, Al Naaimi, Al Maskari, Al Zabi

 

Senegal: Ousmane Mane, Victor Bindia, Abdoulaye Ba, Kalidou Yero (Abdoulaye Sane 84), Sadio Mane (Diamanka 90+1), Kara Mbdoji, Moussa Konate (Souleymane Cisse 76), Ibrahima Balde, Papa Square, Ibrahima Seck, Stephane Badji. Subs Pape Diamanka, Mouhammed Diop, Khassim Soumare, Sady Gaye, Issa Ndiaye.

 

Referee Howard Webb, Assts Stephen Child, Michael Mullarkey, Fourth Official Martin Atkinson.

 

HT Oman 0-1 Senegal

 

FT Oman Senegal

 

ATT 11,611

 

Goals Ibrahima Balde 2, Abdoulaye Sane 87

 

Booked Square, Ba, Al Maqbali, Al Musalami, Yero, Badji

 

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Senegal booked their place in the London 2012 Olympic Games Football Tournament with a 2-0 victory Oman at the City of Coventry Stadium in front of a crowd of 11,611.

 

Senegal whose players clearly had a height advantage took the lead with their first attack of the game when they were awarded a free kick in front of the East Stand and Ibrahim Balde rose unchallenged to head home form eight yards with only a minute and twenty seconds on the watch of referee Howard Webb.

 

Oman who were cheered on by Wigan Athletic keeper Al Habsi struggled to hold Senegal early one with Mouassa Konate sent a Balde cross wide in the eighth minute but they fought back with Al Hadri firing wide and a 17th minute free kick which led to a corner.

 

Oman forced a 23rd minute but Senegal countered with a powerful attack which was only thwarted by a well timed tackle. What was no so well timed was a tackle a miute later when Al Maqbali became the third player in Mr Webb's book for a lunch in front of the East Stand.

 

The resulting free kick came to nothing as did a header Konate in the 28th minute. Seck went close with a long ranger three miutes later and the pressure continued with a neat bit of skill from Konate to get the ball on his right and shoot from twenty yards forcing Omar Al Abri to save.

 

With Team GB and former Sky Blue Stuart Pearce watchng on, Oman did forced the Senegal keeper into a save when he got down to deal with an Al Hadhri free kick.

 

Al Maashari fired just over with a long ranger but Sengal scrambled a free kick away as the half ended.

 

As the second half started with supporters in the Main Stand being moved due to a suspect package, Kalidou Yero hit the post with an angle drive.

 

With goal-scoring opportunities starting to dry up, Oman made two changes around the hour mark.

 

Al Hadri had a good effort on target in the 66th minute before Waleed Al Saadi won a corner after the ball went across the face of the goal which it did from the resulting corner.

 

With twenty minutes left, Badji fired wide with Oman going up the other end and Hamood Al Sadi got booed for rolling round the floor after he had been tackled.

 

Both coaches went for changes and in the 87th minute, one of those who can come on in Abdoulaye Sane broke down the right and slipped the ball passed the keeper to book his country's place in the Finals.