Goals, suspense - unbearable -, reversals of situations, scenes of jubilation or sadness on the grounds of Europe and Africa.
Tuesday evening, devoted to the qualifying matches for the next World Cup, kept all its promises.
Seven new selections have won their ticket and join the twenty teams already qualified.
We can therefore see more clearly on the set that will be offered in Qatar from November 21 to December 18, 2022.
Among the new qualifiers, Ghana, which defeated Nigeria 1-1 (0-0 in the first leg), and especially Senegal.
Twenty years after their first participation in a World Cup (they had reached the quarters), the Senegalese Lions offered themselves a new final phase.
In a perfect remake of the final of the last African Cup of Nations, Aliou Cissé's players once again got the better of their opponent.
As last February, the two teams had to wait until the penalty shootout to decide.
A crazy session, started by four failures in a row - including that of the Egyptian Mohamed Salah -, and concluded with the powerful and victorious strike of Sadio Mané... As in the CAN final.
QUALIFIED POLAND 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
🛫 🇶🇦#POLSUE |
#CM2022 pic.twitter.com/NutVbpC8Kc
— European qualifiers 🇫🇷 (@EURO2024FRA) March 29, 2022
In the "Europe" zone, Portugal, thanks to a double from Bruno Fernandes, won the precious sesame by dominating North Macedonia (2-0), an opponent who had created the feat last week by eliminating Italy.
With this qualification, Cristiano Ronaldo, very moved after the match, enters a little more in the history of his country and his sport.
The striker will participate in his 5th final phase of a World Cup.
Only four players have achieved such a feat before him.
In the other clash of the evening in the Europe zone, the inevitable Robert Lewandowski was one of the architects of the victory (2-0) - he scored a penalty, his 46th goal of the season - and the qualification of Poland against Sweden.
Coming in the 79th minute, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, diminished by an injury, will not have succeeded in his bet to qualify his team for the World Cup.
The former PSG star probably played his last minutes in the yellow jersey of the selection.
The qualifiers end on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday for the countries of the American zones.
The last three tickets for the World Cup will be distributed in June during the final play-offs.
We will then know the 32 guests for Qatar.