24112022

Germany 1 Japan 2:
Another huge World Cup shock!
•Japan stun Germany in famous win
IT was the Mexicans
waving them bye-bye four
years ago.
And as a Mexican wave
broke out here at Doha’s
Khalifa Stadium, Germany
may well be on the way to
heading home early again
thanks to Japan’s supersubs.
Hansi Flick’s side looked to
be cruising when Ilkay
Gundogan’s penalty put
them ahead just after the half
hour.
But their Asian opponents
hit back with two goals from
substitutes in eight secondhalf
minutes, first through
Ritsu Doan and then a
stunner from Takuma Asano.
Asano’s effort will go down
in World Cup history as he
brilliantly controlled a long
ball, sped into the area and
beat Manuel Neuer at his
near post with a thumping
finish.
It leaves Germany in
familiar territory, having
crashed out at the group
stage four years ago in Russia
as reigning champions
having lost their opening
game to Mexico.
Recovering from here could
be very tricky given 2010
champions Spain are also in
their group, along with Costa
Rica.
Midfielder Joshua Kimmich
had spoken on Tuesday of the
team’s “huge motivation” to
put things right this time and
the importance of winning
the first game.
Yet despite starting so well,
they are now in an equally
perilous position and face a
massive uphill battle to get out
of the group.
Germany’s players
protested against Fifa ahead
of the game, outraged by the
pressure the world football
governing body had put on
them not to wear a One Love
rainbow armband via threats
of sporting sanctions.
That included warming up
in training kit with rainbows
on the sleeves, having
Morocco 0 Croatia 0:
Croatia's Modric and Co flop
against solid Moroccan side
LUELESS Croatia served
Cup the World Cup’s third
goalless draw in the space of
nine games as they failed to
make an early impression on
the tournament.
The beaten finalists in
Russia are not a patch on the
team who knocked England
out in the semi-finals four
years ago.
And now they might
struggle to even make it
beyond the group stages after
being forced into a stalemate
by a Moroccan team who
simply refused to accept
their role as World Cup
whipping boys.
Morocco might not
have much of a World
Cup pedigree, but
all of their team
play for leading
European clubs
and are
certainly no
mugs.
T h e y
have been boosted by
the return of Hakim
Ziyech, back in the fold
after announcing his
international
retirement
February.
The Chelsea
in
winger quit after a row with
boss Vahid Halilhodzic and
only agreed to return when
the fiery Bosnian was sacked
in August.
Ziyech was clearly going to
be his team’s main source of
inspiration but even he
struggled to light up this
edgy encounter.
Croatian defender Josko
Gvardiol was playing despite
having his face rearranged in
a collision with a Leipzig
team-mate two weeks ago.
But no-one put themself
around more than 37-yearsyoung
Luka Modric, who
constantly tested the patience
of the Argentine ref with the
timing of some of his
challenges.
Yet what he lacks in pace
he more than
makes up for with
his quality on the
ball and barely a
pass went astray
from the Real
Madrid maestro.
•Modric
rainbows etched on their
boots and covering up their
mouths for the team picture
to indicate how their planned
show of support to the
LGBTQ community had been
silenced.
German interior minister
Nancy Faeser also wore the
One Love armband while
sitting next to Fifa president
Gianni Infantino up in the
stands.
It really was one-way traffic
in the first half, making the
turnaround all the more
remarkable. Japan only
completed 62 passes, while
untroubled German
goalkeeper Neuer had 35.
Saying that, it was actually
the Asian side who had the
ball in the net first when striker
Daizen Maeda emphatically
finished off a rapid counter
only to be ruled offside.
Kimmich and Gundogan
were firing warning shots from
distance before Salvadoran
referee Ivan Barton, at 31, the
tournament’s third youngest
whistler, awarded a penalty
against Shuichi Gonda, two
years his senior for tripping
David Raum and then falling
on him for good measure.
Messi, Ronaldo don't need the
World Cup — Kevin-Prince Boateng
Former
Ghana
international Kevin-
Prince Boateng has dismissed
claims that Lionel Messi and
Cristiano Ronaldo need to
win the World Cup to cement
their GOAT (Greatest of All
Time) status in football.
The 2022 World Cup will
almost certainly be the final
World Cup for the two iconic
footballers, and Boateng has
been analysing their chances
in Qatar.
"Finally, a few thoughts on
what I consider to be the
greatest footballers on this
planet: Lionel Messi and
Cristiano Ronaldo. It is
•Ronaldo
probably the last World Cup
for the two and their last
chance at the title. I know Leo
from my time at Barca. An
incredible player. Both
deserved it," Boateng wrote for
German website SPORT1
"Messi has better chances
with Argentina. But neither he
nor Ronaldo will step down
as world champions. They
don't have to. It's part of their
history: they don't need to win
a world title to be the best of
all time."
Argentina started their
campaign with a shock 2-1
defeat to Saudi Arabia while
Portugal take on Ghana on
Thursday, November 24.
•Messi
Newcastle rule out move
for Ronaldo
Manchester United have placed no restrictions on where
Cristiano Ronaldo can play next, but although he could
join another Premier League team, Newcastle have already
ruled out a move for the striker.
The termination of Ronaldo's contract at Old Trafford, which
was due to run until June, has been described as a "clean
break," and the 37-year-old can sign for another club
immediately without waiting for the January transfer window.
Newcastle, owned by a consortium led by the sovereign
wealth fund of Saudi Arabia, could be a possible destination
for the Portugal international, but sources have told ESPN
they have no interest.
Sources have also told ESPN that Ronaldo's representatives
are also hopeful of reigniting interest from Chelsea.
Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2022 — 31
Brazil begin World Cup title
charge against Serbia
Regarded by many as the
favourites to go all the way
at the 2022 World Cup, fivetime
world champions Brazil
kick off their Group G
campaign against Serbia
at the Lusail Stadium on
Thursday.
The two nations
will renew
acquaintances with
one another after
locking horns in
the group stage
four years ago,
when the
Selecao
came out on
top with a 2-
0 victory.
Brazil have arrived in
Qatar as the only nation
in World Cup history to
have qualified for every
tournament since the first
edition back in 1930 following
a record-breaking
CONMEBOL qualification
campaign, collecting more
points (45) than ever before
after winning 14 and drawing
three of their 17 matches.
The Selecao rarely struggle
in qualifying and they have
had few problems in the
group stage over the years
too, as they are unbeaten in
their last 15 World Cup group
fixtures since losing 2-1 to
Norway back in 1998.
However, 20 years have
passed since Brazil got their
hands on their fifth World Cup
in Seoul and the pressure is
on Tite's talented squad –
ranked number one in the
world by FIFA – to live up to
the pre-tournament hype
and improve on their quarterfinal
exit against Belgium four
years ago.
Serbia will be the first nation
to put Brazil's credentials to
the test.
After crashing out in the
group stage at their previous
three World Cup finals since
gaining independence in
1990, there is a sense of
optimism that Serbia can
finally reach the knockout
rounds for the first time in
Saudi Arabia’s left-back
Yasser AlShahrani will
undergo surgery in the
capital Riyadh after
suffering a severe head
injury during his side’s
historic 2-1 World Cup
victory over Argentina.
Saudi Arabian Football
Federation said in a
statement on Tuesday that
AlShahrani was subjected to
a strong hit to the head, chest
and abdomen.
It added that he
underwent all the necessary
medical examinations but
will be kept under
observation. It also
confirmed that his condition
is stable.
AlShahrani left Qatar on
Wednesday morning for
Riyadh to undergo surgery
at the National Guard
Hospital.
The 30-year-old was
initially taken straight to
Hamad Medical City in
Doha where he underwent
a full medical check-up and
•Al Shahrani
Qatar.
The Eagles, ranked 25th in
the world by FIFA, impressed
in UEFA qualifying and
topped their group after
winning six and drawing
two of their eight
matches, including a
last-gasp 2-1 triumph
over Portugal in their
final fixture.
•Neymar
FIFA gives New
World TV licence
for W/Cup
viewing centres
M
atches of the 2022 FIFA
World Cup have been
unfolding with football fans
who could not be in Qatar
flocking to viewing
centres.“Consequently the
world soccer governing body
has licenced New World TV
and Media Business Solutions
to organise public viewing
events for the World Cup in sub
Sahara Africa, excluding South
Africa in line with FIFA
regulations.“To this regard
Brand Technology Limited has
been appointed as
representatives for the Nigeria
territory. Brand reps,
advertising companies and
viewing centre operators have
been enjoined to obtain their
licences from New World TV
through their Nigerian
representatives.“"We want
members of the public to beware
of illegal use of content, it is
prohibited," said an official of
Brand
Technology
Limited.“The official continued,
"any infringement on the
viewing centre regulations is
subject to litigation. So we are
urging Nigerians to comply to
avoid embarrassment."
Saudi Arabia’s Al Shahrani to
undergo surgery in Riyadh
spent last night.
AlShahrani was injured
following a collision with
Saudi’s goalkeeper
Mohammed AlOwais’ knee
during the second-half
stoppage time at the Lusail
Stadium. AlOwais was seen
dropping to his knees in
shock over the incident.
AlShahrani initially tried
to get to his feet but looked
dazed as blood streamed
from his nose. He was later
stretchered off after a
lengthy delay.
The 30-year-old Al-Hilal
player had given a heroic
performance and largely
kept the star-studded
Argentinian team from
producing any real chances
in the second half.
The match will go down
as one of the biggest upsets
in international football as
Saudi Arabia became the
first Asian team to beat
Argentina at a World Cup.