Qatar’s hopes hang in the balance as elimination beckons

The home team froze under the weight of expectation and quickly went behind in Sunday’s opener, losing 2-0 to Ecuador and being deserted by their own fans, who emptied the stadium in droves in the second half.

"Our nerves betrayed us," said coach Felix Sanchez. “We were unable to string together four passes in a row. Also, many defensive gaps. The team was not balanced and that hurt us a lot.”

Defeat at Doha’s Al Thumama Stadium would ensure Asian champions Qatar become only the second World Cup hosts to fail to get past the first round after South Africa in 2010.

Sanchez, who has had his players together almost like a club side for months in the build up to the World Cup, has promised a more “effective and competitive” team but on the evidence of their opener they are going to need much more against Senegal.