Ecuador humiliated hosts Qatar in their opening match of the 2022 Fifa World Cup, defeating them lopsidedly in Al Bayt.
A jittery and jumbled performance resulted in a Group A loss for Felix Sanchez’s team, who had been practicing together in camp for the past six months to be ready for the competition and work on strategy.
On paper, this should have been Qatar’s easiest game because Senegal, the defending winner of the Africa Cup of Nations, and the Netherlands, three-time runners-up, were yet to play.
Enner Valencia’s close-range header was disallowed by the video assistance referee for offside during the game’s thrilling beginning, but the South Americans went on to score soon after.
Valencia was fouled by the unstable goalie of Qatar, Saad al-Sheeb, in the penalty area, and he stepped up to score the penalty kick.
Before halftime, Valencia powered in another header to quiet the Al Bayt Stadium, making matters worse for the home team.
Many fans who had left the stadium at the break did not come back, leaving it about half empty for the majority of the second half.
With Romario Ibarra’s curling attempt being blocked by Al-Sheeb, it contributed to a dull atmosphere on and off the field.
With 20 minutes left, captain Hassan al-Haydos and star player Almoez Ali were both replaced, but the team was unable to register a shot on goal