Qatar creates unwanted 92-year WC first

1 year ago 69

Qatar’s archetypal ever FIFA World Cup lucifer ended successful dismay for an overmatched squad and with a spot successful unwanted shot history.

The controversy-laced tourney opened Sunday with Qatar getting outplayed and embarrassed successful a 2-0 nonaccomplishment to Ecuador successful beforehand of 67,372 fans astatine Al Bayt Stadium.

In 92 years of football's biggest event, a big squad had ne'er mislaid its opening game.

The archetypal World Cup successful the Middle East is simply a accidental for Qatar, a tiny Arab state jutting retired into the Persian Gulf, to showcase itself to the wider world. Its shot team, playing astatine this level for the archetypal clip by virtuousness of hosting the tournament, couldn't unrecorded up to the infinitesimal arsenic Ecuador skipper Enner Valencia scored some goals successful the archetypal half.

The lucifer took spot aft a colourful 30-minute opening ceremonial — fronted by Oscar-winning histrion Morgan Freeman and attended by almighty dignitaries including Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — that promoted inclusivity and mankind surviving “under 1 tent.”

For many, that would jar with this World Cup being hosting by an emirate wherever homosexual acts are illegal, 1 that has travel nether beardown disapproval for however migrant workers person been treated gathering stadiums and tourney infrastructure since Qatar won the scandal-shrouded ballot successful 2010.

The yearslong scrutiny was ne'er going to halt conscionable due to the fact that play connected the tract yet entered the communicative of a tourney dogged by quality rights controversies, yet a triumph for the big federation would person astatine slightest enactment a favourable airy connected Qatar, football-wise.

Instead, Qatar’s players, caller from spending 7 months unneurotic successful a pre-tournament grooming campy nether Spanish manager Felix Sanchez, froze successful beforehand of an expectant assemblage and a disciplined Ecuador squad that mightiness conscionable airs a information to much high-profile opponents implicit the adjacent fewer weeks.

Valencia thought helium had scored successful the 3rd infinitesimal erstwhile helium headed successful from adjacent scope pursuing an acrobatic transverse from Felix Torres. After a video reappraisal of astir 2 minutes, Ecuadorian celebrations were chopped abbreviated erstwhile the extremity was ruled retired for what appeared to beryllium a marginal offside.

Ecuador did instrumentality the lead, however, successful the 16th infinitesimal erstwhile Valencia was tripped by Saad Alsheeb aft rounding the goalkeeper, who was booked for the challenge. Valencia was nonchalant arsenic helium trotted up and converted the spot footwear into the bottommost corner.

The 33-year-old striker added his 2nd successful the 33rd by heading successful a right-wing transverse from Angelo Preciado.

With Qatar’s passes often going astray and its antiaircraft raggedness repeatedly exposed, Ecuador had nary occupation holding onto its pb arsenic Sanchez stood helpless successful his method country and the location fans fell quiet.

There were tons of bare seats for a 2nd fractional that was astir a damage-limitation workout for Qatar.

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!