Qatar’s Akram Afif seems dejected. (REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach)

Qatar vs Senegal: Will the hosts be the first to leave the party?

Showcase sport
Qatar vs Senegal (Group A)
6.30 pm, Al Thumama Stadium

Twelve years and $220 billion within the making, Qatar’s World Cup might finish within the first week itself.

The small nation-state has incurred an exorbitant value, as reported by Forbes,to host the primary World Cup within the Arab world. But they might be on their means out – turning into simply the second hosts, after South Africa, to be eradicated within the group stage – in the event that they fail to get a consequence towards Senegal on Friday.

After a build-up – together with behind closed-doors friendlies that weren’t allowed to be recorded – shrouded in secrecy and intrigue, Felix Sanchez’s aspect have been an unpredictable drive coming into the match. Their gamers, nevertheless, failed to indicate up for the event of their underwhelming efficiency within the match opener towards Ecuador. [Read More]

FIFA World Cup 2022: Learnings from the primary spherical of matches

The excessive press

Perhaps one of the putting elements of the World Cup has been the willingness of the so-called weaker groups to advance additional up the pitch to win the ball in opposition territory. Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s chief of world soccer growth, had mentioned urgent has develop into “absolutely universal” internationally earlier than the beginning of the World Cup. And it has been a method that has confirmed helpful for groups which have modified their strategy to drive the problem off the ball when they don’t have the person expertise to compete on the ball.

The emphasis is on profitable the ball again in areas of the pitch the place groups can threaten offensively, and make use of the little possession they get, versus profitable the ball again in defensive areas, solely to face fixed assaults later. (Read More)