Senegal registered a 3-1 victory over hosts Qatar, leaving them at the bottom of Group A.

Qatar subsequently became the first team to be eliminated from the World Cup after Group A rivals the Netherlands and Ecuador drew 1-1.

The Dutch and Ecuador each have four points, Senegal have three. Qatar are without a point. They cannot qualify whatever happens in their final match against the Dutch on Tuesday.

Qatar showed some flashes of exciting attacking play, but the reigning Asian champions were undone by sloppy defending that was harshly punished by a Senegalese side that was just that little bit better in every department.

The Senegal fans brought colour and noise with rhythmic drumming throughout, while the home supporters turned out in maroon shirts, with many of the men opting for the traditional Middle Eastern thobe, a pristine white ankle-length tunic.

Qatar quickly got to grips with Senegal and should have had a penalty when Ismaila Sarr bundled over Akram Afif, but Spanish referee Antonio Mateu waved away their pleas and VAR did not intervene.

With Qatar defending well, it was going to take either a moment of magic or a catastrophic mistake for Senegal to break the deadlock and unfortunately for Qatar defender Boualem Khoukhi it turned out to be the latter.

His attempt to clear a routine low pass into the box by Krepin Diatta went disastrously wrong as he fluffed his clearance, allowing Boulaye Dia to pounce, and he rattled home the opening goal just before the break.

With the Qatari crowd thinned out somewhat at the start of the second half, Famara Diedhou doubled Senegal’s advantage with a brilliant glancing header from an Ismail Jakobs corner in the 48th minute.

The missing home fans were soon back in their seats and rewarded with some superb attacking play as the hosts registered their first efforts on target in the tournament, with Ismael Mohamad forcing a superb reflex save from Edouard Mendy.

Muntari reduced the deficit in the 78th with a bullet header from Mohamad’s cross for Qatar’s first-ever goal at a World Cup in their debut tournament but Senegal were unruffled. Six minutes after Muntari’s strike, Bamba Dieng swept home a pass from fellow substitute Iliman Ndiaye.