Automated offside technology from the Video Assistant Referee disqualified the first goal of Qatar 2022 World football cup at the opening match on Sunday when the leg of an Ecuadorian player who connected Captain Enner Valencia was marked as fractionally off mark and goal disallowed.
Ecuador won the first match 2-0 as Valencia who plays for Fernabache of Turkey eventually shoved hosts Qatar aside scored the first goal from a penalty spot from a foul on him by Qatar goalkeeper who bagged the first yellow of the tournament. Thus Enner Valencia spotting no 13 shirt sank Qatar with a brace.
Almeda Aliz the highest goal scorer for Qatar collected the 2nd yellow with another foul on Valencia. Valencia scored the canceled first goal via a montage header the kind known with Wilson Oruma and Headmaster Mutiu Adepoju in world cup tournaments but Valencia recorded the second goal from an aerial ball from Angelo Preciado in the 16th minute nodding it in with his Ondoitod bone that springs football headers in a manner that silenced spectators at the Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor.
Spanish coach, Felix Sanchez who has been handling the Qatar team from 2019 was caught with a foot on the ground – perpeplexed. He has been coaching Qatar since 2014 handling all age grade teams that produced the bunch of players prosecuting this world cup campaign.
The officiating crew was eagle eyed and moved with precision from 46 year old Itallian Daniele Orsato with the whistle; Assistant Referees Ciro Cerbene abd Alessandro Giallatini as well as the VAR man, Massimiliano Irrati.
Unfortunately Qatar did not record a single shot on target in this match one but Ecuador recorded three scoring two (do not forget one goal was disqualified); the fouls were 15 a piece but Qatar had 4 yellow cards to Ecuador’s 2. The corner kicks were low with 3 to Ecuador and one to Qatar.
The second match of group A will see African Champions, Senegal without Star boy Sadio Mane will square up with Netherlands at 5pm.
The group A second round matches will be on Thursday 25th with Netherlands versus Ecuador at 5pm and Qatar versus Senegal at 8pm.
The Three Lions of England will open Group B hostilities against Ayatolla Khomeni’s men of Iran at 2pm on Monday with Ref. Raphael Claus of Brazil handling the match; at 8pm the Yankees of America will tackle Wales and Abdulrahman Al-Jassim of Qatar will handle the match.
A total of 64 matches will be played in Qatar at eight different stadium from five cities. The final is scheduled for December 18.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria are not in Qatar as the team was ousted by the Black Stars of Ghana at the second leg of the qualifiers played at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja Nigeria’s federal capital city.
Eniola Olatunji reporting.
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