Match 2
Senegal v Netherlands
Two late goals ensured the Netherlands marked their return to the FIFA World Cup with a win against a Sadio Mane-less Senegal.
An entertaining first half saw neither team able to break the deadlock, with the Oranje having the better of the chances but proving wasteful in front of goal.
An injury to Senegal midfielder Cheikhou Kouyaté saw him stretchered off inside the final 20 minutes, forcing extended stoppage time in the match.
PSV star Cody Gakpo got on the end of a cross from Frenkie de Jong in the final five minutes, as the Dutch midfielder beat a charging Edouard Mendy to the ball to head home for the Netherlands.
Mendy parried a shot from substitute Memphis Depay in the final moments of stoppage time, leaving Davy Klaassen to fire the Netherlands home to a two-goal lead.
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Senegal V Netherlands (Group A)
Match 3
England v Iran
England got their 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign off to the perfect start on Tuesday, thrashing Iran 6-2 at Khalifa International Stadium.
Gareth Southgate’s side had gone six games without a win prior to their Group B opener but found themselves 3-0 up at half-time after Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Raheem Sterling scored in the final 15 minutes.
Saka slalomed his way to another goal on the hour-mark, and while Mehdi Taremi quickly conjured a response for Iran, Marcus Rashford ensured the Three Lions’ advantage remained insurmountable.
Fellow substitute Jack Grealish scored England’s sixth in the 90th-minute, though the match still had one more goal to come as Taremi dispatched his penalty in 13th minute of added time.
Such a performance will delight Southgate, whose side will next face the USA in Group B.
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England V Iran (Group B)
Match 4
USA v Wales
It was a late penalty and subsequent conversion by Gareth Bale that saw Wales draw with USA in their opening Group B fixture.
A combative first half saw both sides pick up two yellow cards apiece as they fought it out for control in midfield. The best chance of the early minutes came at the end of a flurry of chances in which Wayne Hennessey had to keep out his own defender’s header before Josh Sargent hit the post soon after.
Timothy Weah broke the deadlock with an assured finish on the end of an incisive attack, and the USA carried the lead into the half-time break.
Wales brought pressure in the second stanza, with Matt Turner called upon for a spectacular save to deny a Ben Davies header. However, the weight of possession told as Gareth Bale was brought down by Walker Zimmerman in the box, with the Welsh star stepping up to hit a powerful penalty to level the scores.
