Here’s the Best World Cup Match in the World

The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ will be played from 20 November to 18 December. 32 teams will compete across 64 matches in the 22nd edition of the …

FIFA World Cup season

Ecuador coach Gustavo Alfaro said striker Enner Valencia would play in the next game against the Netherlands after his team’s opening win against hosts Qatar in FIFA World Cup 2022. Sunday’s 2022 FIFA World Cup season opener took place at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar. It featured a 2-0 victory for Ecuador over Qatar, thanks to a brace from Enner Valencia.

An enormous success. There are always greater nerves and stress before the first game of a World Cup. Instinctively, we knew that was coming. As reported by Sky Sports, a statement made by the coach after the game stated that his squad had the youngest average age of any World Cup side. Winning was the top priority. We really just played how we wanted to. Although I am not entirely content, I am able to maintain my composure because we took the necessary steps. We must make several adjustments to advance to the 16th and final round. It’s a foregone conclusion that Enner Valencia will participate in the game against the Netherlands, he said.

The South Americans dominated their Group A opponents, and in that game, a penalty kick was used for the first time to score the first goal in a World Cup. The FIFA World Cup was off to a blazing start thanks to a goal scored by Ecuador’s captain Enner Valencia just three minutes into the tournament. The Ecuadorian crowd went wild when the striker headed the ball into the net following a drill by Felix Torres.

The jubilation, however, was short-lived because the official called offside on the goal. In this case, the goal was ruled offside after a review by the video assistant referee. Although the Qatari players appeared to be rushing after the ball, Ecuador maintained their attacks and kept the ball in their possession throughout.

Qatar’s Goalie Al Sheeb

In the sixteenth minute of the play, Valencia made a spectacular move toward the goal, but he was brought down by a tackle from Qatar’s goalie Al Sheeb, earning a penalty for his side. When Sheeb tripped Valencia, the goalkeeper drew a yellow card and gave Ecuador a penalty kick.

The Ecuador captain’s penalty kick was a success, finding the bottom right corner and giving the team a 1-0 edge over hosts Qatar. Qatar’s players struggled to find a rhythm against South America, resulting in constant turnovers and sloppy passing. Almoez Ali, another Qatari player, was cautioned for a foul on the Ecuadorian skipper and received a yellow card.

In the 31st minute, Valencia added another goal for Ecuador as the visitors continued to exert their dominance. The Ecuadorian captain, right-back, scored his team’s second goal when he expertly directed Angelo Preciado’s left-wing cross into the far corner of the net. Despite a second offside review following Ecuador’s second goal, the referee ruled in their favor, and the South Americans now lead Qatar 2-0.

After seeing that Valencia was a threat to Qatar, the home team began closely monitoring him and frequently brought him down with tackles. Karim Boudiaf of Qatar received a caution for a tackle on Valencia. After being whacked in the knee in the 43rd minute, Valencia could no longer continue playing and had to leave the field.

Qatar’s 2022 FIFA World Cup

In the waning seconds of the first half, Qatar had a golden opportunity to score, but Almoez Ali missed the ball. Qatar’s 2022 FIFA World Cup opening match finished with a 0-2 deficit. Qatar’s passing improved in the second half, and they made some dangerous runs, but they couldn’t convert.

The second half saw them play more effectively, but they still did not threaten Ecuador much. In the 86th minute, Qatar nearly scored as Mohammed Muntari made a great run and fired narrowly wide of the goal. As a result, the game ended with a 2-0 final score in favor of Ecuador.

In the 92 years that the World Cup has been held, this victory by Ecuador makes them the first team to defeat the host nation in the opening match. In its group, Ecuador is now the frontrunner. Its second group encounter, against the Netherlands, will now take place on Friday, the same day that Qatar will host Senegal.