Problems for Qatar at World Cup 2022 started early. Their opening day loss to Ecuador made World Cup history for all the wrong reasons. There were also some major upsets for Germany and Argentina in the early stages.
By Dave Bowler
Human Rights Questions are front and center at World Cup
Before getting into our comprehensive review of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, we have to address the whole idea of a Qatari World Cup. The concept of taking the world’s game to nations other than the usual subjects was a good one, but Qatar did not prove to be a good choice.
From a sporting perspective, moving the tournament to the northern winter was a lousy idea. So many big leagues were still playing a week prior to the tournament so it meant there was no adequate buildup time for the teams. Neither was there an opportunity to create the excitement ahead of the competition that usually comes in those two or three weeks when everything is focused on that first game.
Hypocrisy abounds
That, of course, was a minor thing compared with the issues over human rights. Particularly, the Qatari attitude to LGBTQ fans. Not to mention the conditions that the migrant workers had to endure in building the stadia. All of that should have disqualified them from hosting the tournament. Just as South Africa were sporting pariahs for so long in the apartheid era.
But castigating football for supping with Qatar is pretty rich when we might discuss the way that many Western countries treat Muslim migrants and asylum seekers, for example. And then we might note that most nations on earth – including those at the World Cup – are happy to trade with Qatar.
For all football’s importance around the globe, if those politicians and pundits who are happy to attack the game for going there really cared about the issues, they might engineer more change by not buying from them.
Tone Deaf Infantino
That said, FIFA had, inevitably, made a bad situation worse. Gianni Infantino’s pre-tournament speech, which attacked Western hypocrisy, had a point. But that was drowned out by the tone deaf opening of, “I feel Qatari, I feel Arab, I feel African, I feel gay, I feel disabled, I feel a migrant worker.” Given that a couple of those options would likely see him imprisoned or lying injured on a stadium site, it was at best ill-advised. Thinking he was channelling MLK’s “I have a dream”, he sounded more like Monty Python’s “I’m Brian – and so’s my wife!”
Qatar 0 Ecuador 2 (Group A)
Qatar created some history on the World Cup 2022 opening day by becoming the first hosts to lose their opening game. On the evidence of those 90 minutes, it was hard to see them getting any points on the board whatsoever. They looked a pretty poor side that were opened up by some pretty standard football from Ecuador.
The South Americans were on easy street from early on in the game. Enner Valencia had an early goal disallowed by VAR for offside. He then helped himself to two more in the first half, before going off with a slight knee injury.
Ecuador on easy street against Qatar
The second half was the dampest of squibs as Ecuador simply managed the game to its conclusion. With no need to exert themselves, they reserved everything for greater battles to come against Senegal and Holland. Neither of those outfits will have been concerned by what they saw on offer in this opener. Both favorites would already be quietly confident that they’d progress.
There were a couple of half-chances for Qatar, who only touched the ball twice in the Ecuadorian penalty box. The worrying sign for the organizers was a half-empty stadium by midway through the second half. The locals seemingly passed judgment on their side by heading home early. Not an auspicious start.
England 6 Iran 2 (Group B)
This was a sound day for England. they swatted aside a poor Iranian side, further weakened by losing their goalkeeper in the opening minutes. That told us as much about their chances as Ecuador’s win over Qatar did. You can only beat what’s put in front of you, of course, and England did that with a flourish.
There is no doubt that England’s strength is going forward. After a meek Nations League campaign, the signs here were that Gareth Southgate is now embracing that. Jude Bellingham was outstanding. Would he have the same kind of impact on this tournament as Gascoigne did in 1990?
There were many reasons to be cheerful for England. Southgate will not have an untroubled night’s sleep after his suspect defence contrived to concede two goals to a dreadful side. What might better opposition do to them? That is the conundrum he needs to resolve. Will he choose the “they score three, we score four” option rather than retreating into a pragmatic shell?
Netherlands 2 Senegal 0 (Group A)
The Dutch left it late but joined Ecuador at the top of their group, beating Senegal 2-0. That game underlined just why it’s the strikers that command the big transfer fees. Had Senegal been able to put Sadio Mane on the pitch, the result might have been very different.
As it was, their fixture with Ecuador looked the group’s key one for the Netherlands. There was much about them that was familiar from 2014 when, under Luis van Gaal again, they did enough to win games and no more. It would be a surprise to see them reach the giddy heights of third place again as they did eight years ago. However, the runners-up in the England / USA / Wales group wouldn’t fancy meeting them in the round of 16.
Wales 1 USA 1 (Group B)
The USA and Wales played out the archetypal game of two halves. Both ended up with a point each from their 1-1 draw. The US were dominant in the first period. They could well have been more than a goal to the good at the break. Wales changed their approach in the second half. They became more direct with the arrival of Kieffer Moore.
Having been mostly anonymous throughout, it was still inevitable that it was Gareth Bale who was their saviour. He won and then scored the penalty. That left a few wise heads within the MLS wondering if it had really been such a good idea to keep him match fit for the World Cup…
It all left the group nicely poised for both the US and Wales. Both would expect to beat Iran handsomely and fancy their chances of taking something from England. For the US, Pulisic and Weah looked like a potent threat up front. Both players were good enough to pose some questions of England in that next game. Whether they will be strong enough defensively was another story. Wales would certainly feel they could trouble England in a local derby at the group’s climax. As long as there’s Bale, there’s belief.
Argentina 1 Saudi Arabia 2 (Group C)
This looked like a nice way for Messi’s men to ease themselves into the tournament. All the more so after he had tucked away an early penalty to take the lead. Three further goals were chalked off for offside in a largely dominant first 45 minutes.
Saudi Arabia then turned the game on its head in eight minutes. Al-Shehri equalized right after the break, before a spectacular goal from Al-Dawsari gave them the lead minutes later. Nobody would have expected that from the team ranked 51st in the world. Even then, it was anticipated that Argentina would come back and brush them aside. But the Saudis played with a real intensity. They pressed Argentina all over the park and simply would not allow them back into the game.
Huge upset for Argentina
Yes, the Saudis rode their luck, but they earned some of it too, and created a World Cup upset that is perhaps only bested by the USA’s win over England in 1950.
For Argentina, there would be a sobering review of what went wrong. But the fact that Mexico and Poland could only draw will have cheered them up no end. Wins over those sides were certainly well within Argentina’s compass. They would still likely top the group. But Saudi Arabia would now be dreaming of an unexpected crack at the knockout stages.
Tunisia 0 Denmark 0 (Group D)
The Danes would spend all night wondering just how it was that Cornelius managed to miss with a header from about 18 inches from the line. When such a sitter was missed, my dad always used to say, “He could have fanned that in with his hat”. If this was the level of Cornelius’ aim, somebody get him to invest in a Stetson, and quick.
Denmark probably shaded the game, but were nowhere near the side that impressed so often in the Euro 2021. It would be hard to begrudge Tunisia their point. They were sprightly and competitive throughout. Focused and aggressive, celebrating every tackle like a goal. They clearly meant to make the most of this World Cup.
Mexico 0 Poland 0 (Group C)
this was the day’s biggest disappointment. A 0-0 draw where neither side ever really threatened, aside from Lewandowski’s penalty which was well saved by Ochoa. It was a game with little to commend it. Both sides might well have accepted it as a decent result. But that was before Saudi Arabia took on Argentina in the other game.
France 4 Australia 1 (Group D)
This was a routine win for France after what was initially a feisty Australian display. Ultimately, the French had too much class and certainly and too much threat in attack. Olivier Giroud joined Henry as the greatest goalscorer in French history. Though you’d expect Mbappe to eventually usurp them all.
It was a bigger win for France than might otherwise been the case. Reigning champions have had problems in getting out of the group stages in recent tournaments. The loss of Pogba, Kante, Benzema, Nkunku, and Kimpembe to injury had not helped. France hardly came into the competition in the rudest of health, but sometimes, those problems can galvanize a side.
It looked unlikely that France would become the first nation in 60 years to retain their title. But their prospects for going deep into the competition looked much better than they did 48 hours prior. Which is more than you could say for Argentina.
Croatia 0 Morocco 0 (Group F)
Of Morocco and Croatia, least said, soonest mended as the proverb goes. Morocco were very well organised and set about neutralising Croatia with a will. Modric was given no real opportunity to get on the ball and create in his trademark fashion. Without his spark, Croatia offered little and certainly looked nothing like the team that reached the 2018 final. Morocco looked like they would be a hard nut to crack for any side, as befits a team that’s lost just twice in 40 games. Could they translate that into wins? They had definitely given themselves a chance of reaching the last 16.
Germany 1 Japan 2 (Group E)
Traditionally, it’s the FA Cup that is supposed to be the great leveler. Apparently, playing the World Cup in mid-season, without any pre-tournament preparation, is the same thing.
After Argentina’s woes, it was the turn of Germany to find themselves on the end of something of an upset, if not of quite the same magnitude. It was Japan who put them to the Samurai sword. They came from behind to win 2-1 with late goals that caught the Germans napping.
Germany stunned by Japan
For an hour, all had been going largely to plan. Germany were on top and in the lead, but without finding the security of the extra goals they wanted. The epic goalkeeping performance of Gonda, his clumsiness in conceding a penalty aside, kept Japan in the game. That paved the way for the arrival of Asona around the hour mark to turn the tide.
Japan upped the tempo and took the game to Germany. Suddenly, it was Neuer having to make the saves. In the end, he couldn’t make them all. Japan’s equalizer was no surprise. From there, Japan looked the more likely winners So it proved. Germany meanwhile, were facing a second consecutive early exit from the World Cup.
Armband Controversy goes on
In other news… while their football might have left something to be desired, Germany did win the day’s PR war. Lining up for the pre-match photo, the XI covered their mouths with their hands. This was to symbolize the way FIFA has gagged teams over the use of the 1Love armband. Meanwhile, their federation, the DFB, has begun looking into the legality of FIFA’s stance on the armband. This one will run and run. Rather like a Japanese substitute.
Spain 7 Costa Rica 0 (Group E)
Like England, Spain produced an emphatic first performance. They wiped the floor with a Costa Rica side expected to at least make life sticky. Instead, Spain were imperious. Their movement and their passing at pace simply mesmerized their opponents. In the past, Spain might have settled for winning 1-0. Not this Spain.
Slamming in seven goals felt like a statement of intent. In Gavi, the youngest World Cup goal scorer since Pele, they might have unveiled the next world star. Could he do to this World Cup what Mbappe did in the last one? Tougher tests would come. But on the evidence of this, and the way he took his goal, why not?
Belgium 1 Canada 0 (Group F)
Belgium are another of the favored sides to have struggled through their opening game. In the end, they were fortunate that the Canadian attack could not find the rear end of a cow with the proverbial banjo.
In an otherwise impressive display from Canada, their finishing was absolutely woeful. At this level of the game, you cannot hope to win games if you need more than 20 chances to score a goal. The shot count was 22-9 in Canada’s favor. Sadly they couldn’t even score from the penalty spot.
Courtois’ early save was the defining moment of the game. Belgium, even without Lukaku, always looked more threatening when they did go forward. Ultimately, they got the goal that made the difference. It was their eighth straight group win at the World Cup, equalling Brazil’s record.
Humbling game for Belgium
It remained a humbling 90 minutes for Belgium, as it had been for Germany earlier. The fact that so many of the big nations have struggled thus far could surely be laid at the door of the lack of preparation time. Many of these players were doing battle in the Bundesliga, Serie A, and the Premier League only ten days before.
There had been none of the usual three-week training camp prior to the tournament. No chance to try things out on the training pitch and move from club thinking into the international groove. Perhaps that would lessen in importance deeper into the competition, but for some, it was proving so costly that that time might not come.
Sir Alf Ramsey: England 1973 focuses on the final full year of Sir Alf’s reign as England boss. The nation that won the World Cup in 1966 failed to even qualify for the 1974 tournament. Ramsey was suddenly a man out of time, both on and off the pitch. The failing fortunes of the England team mirrored those of a post-Empire nation heading for its own fall.
A must read for all fans. Order your copy.