World Cup opening game: Qatar loses 2-0 to Ecuador

SThe Qataris can build beautiful stadiums, as they showed the world at the latest with the opening game, which was played in a beautiful arena modeled on a Bedouin tent. They also master the organization of brightly beautiful celebrations; many of the superlatives surrounding the desert event may seem dubious, but the show leading up to the hosts’ first game against Ecuador actually surpassed all comparable stagings. In terms of football, however, the team of Spanish coach Felix Sanchez had no chance at all. In the end, the Qataris could be happy to have lost only 0:2.

The better show for the home audience was undoubtedly the perfectly performed opening ceremony, during which the main message of the past few days was once again sent to the world: encounter, connection, mutual understanding, make the planet a better place. The focus of the performance was formed by two separate parts of the bridge, which were finally symbolically connected by a huge golden pulsing LED screen.

The American actor Morgan Freeman appeared both as a representative of the western world and at the same time in the role of a fairytale storyteller who meets a disabled Arab boy. “Everyone is welcome, this is an invitation to the world so that we can learn from each other and find beauty,” he said.

Korean boy band star Jung Kook made the teenagers scream before he was replaced by Qatari singer Fahad Al Kubasi, who FIFA profiled as a human rights activist. And Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of the monarchy hosting the world, proclaimed: “The day we have been waiting for has finally arrived. People of different religions and views will gather here. Their diversity brings them together.”

That is the commendable statement that is currently being recited in the Persian Gulf, but behind which the Qataris’ appeal to their critics is becoming increasingly clear: We’re just not like you, be tolerant and leave us our women, migrant workers and treating LGBTIQ people as we see fit. It will be interesting to see how this conflict between the different worlds continues and whether the game actually has the unifying power that is attributed to it. If the hosts continue to play like this, however, they will have little joy in their own team.

The Ecuadorians were celebrating after just over two minutes, but Enner Valencia’s first goal was ruled out for offside. But even in this scene it was clear that the Qataris may have prepared the best of all participants for this tournament, but are struggling with a goalkeeping problem.

Saad Al Sheeb wandered around the penalty area quite disoriented before the offside goal and then also favored the first goal of the tournament that counted after he fouled Valencia in the penalty area. The fouled man used the penalty himself, confidently to make it 1-0 (13th). And when the attacker headed the second goal of the evening after 31 minutes, the first spectators left their seats disappointed.

In many phases, the game looked like a duel between a naive youth team and a top-level professional team. In the meantime, even the group of Qatar fans fell silent, belting out well-rehearsed cheering chants.

When they then tried again to get the stadium in the mood, they were imitated ironically by the Ecuadorians, that was the first small rebellious action of this World Cup from the circle of the fans. In the second half, many of the 67,372 spectators finally lost interest in the game. After the break, the arena was only about two-thirds full. The refugees didn’t miss much anymore, the Ecuadorians were merciful with the overwhelmed hosts.