World Cup: Nervous Qatar 'felt supported' despite fan exodus in opener, says coach Sanchez
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Empty seats are seen during the opening match of the 2022 World Cup between hosts Qatar and Ecuador.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
AL KHOR, Qatar – Qatar coach Felix Sanchez said his team “felt supported” even though thousands of fans left early as the World Cup hosts slumped to a 2-0 defeat by Ecuador
Sanchez’s side were punished for a slow start at the Al Bayt Stadium by Enner Valencia’s double.
The defeat means Qatar are the first host country in the tournament’s 92-year history to lose their opening game.
They will likely need to avoid losing their second Group A match against Senegal on Friday to escape the ignominy of becoming only the second hosts, after South Africa in 2010, to be dumped out in the first round.
Hopes were high among the crowd that they could make a winning start, but the debutants’ deficiencies were ruthlessly exposed by an impressive Ecuador.
Qatar failed to muster even a shot on target, with spectators filing out long before the final whistle.
By the time the official attendance of around 67,000 was announced over the tannoy, the stadium was barely half-full.
“We have felt supported,” said Sanchez. “I hope the people at the next game will be more proud. People know that we can give more.
“The atmosphere was one of great expectation. We are sorry that we could not be part of the party, but we knew that this scenario could happen... We will try to learn.”
The scoreline could have been even worse for Qatar. Valencia had an early goal ruled out for offside by the video assistant referee (VAR) before Ecuador eased off after the interval.
“Our nerves betrayed us, we started really badly,” said Sanchez. “We were unable to string together four passes in a row. Also many defensive gaps.
“The team was not balanced and that hurt us a lot. When you play against a team of this level... you pay for it.”
His opposite number, Ecuador coach Gustavo Alfaro, meanwhile, was not getting carried away with the result.
He said: “We did what we needed to do to win this game. At the half (interval), I asked my players are they happy and they said, no... they can play better.
“I congratulated them for the win but told them we have to do better... If we want to go further, we need to improve on this. Some teams, even after winning their first game, do not qualify.”
For Ecuador to go further, they will need Valencia, 33, to be fit. He limped off in the second half, triggering fears his tournament might be over despite the blistering start.
Alfaro, though, is having “no doubt” Valencia will feature against the Netherlands on Friday.
“I have some discomfort in my knee and ankle. The doctors will assess and see how serious it is,” Valencia said, applying ice but then looking comfortable as he walked onto the pitch at the end to celebrate with the team and their fans.
“I hope to play in the second game against Holland.”
Valencia’s double was the fourth time in the last five World Cups that a player has scored twice in the opening game of the tournament after Germany’s Miroslav Klose (2006), Brazil’s Neymar (2014) and Russia’s Denis Cheryshev (2018).
AFP, REUTERS
