First day of the 2022 World Cup:nostalgic Zabivaka and magnificent Valencia

The most unusual World Cup in history in Qatar started: the first goal was scored, the first victory was won.

And the opening match was preceded by a solemn ceremony - not blinding, like the sheikhs' gold, but quite beautiful and stylish. One of her characters was the good old Zabivaka, the wolf mascot of the last World Cup in 2018, which took place in Russia.

It seems to have happened recently, but how the world football landscape has changed: after all, we could have been at this holiday, but FIFA decided to abandon the sporting principle and follow the lead of the teams, who did not want to play with the Russians in the joints.

Qatar and the World Cup, which he holds, however, are also subject to obstruction. Some criticize the fact that they have to live in makeshift trailers, others - that the local sheikhs allegedly bought up everything and everything in order to bring the World Cup to their country. Still others - mostly English fans, who are famous for their immoderate love of drinking - do not like the ban on the sale of beer on the stadium grounds. The rest, throughout the month, will enjoy the exotic of Qatar - one of the many corners of the world about which we know inexcusably little.

In the opening matches of the world championships, the host country team usually plays. This time they did not deviate from the tradition either: in the first match of the tournament, the football players of Qatar and Ecuador met. The Qataris, relying on naturalized footballers, have brought up a number of local players in recent years, pulling up results in the international arena. But, as the game showed, the World Cup, it seems, is not yet their level.

The Ecuadorians, who took fourth place in the difficult South American group in the selection for the 2022 World Cup, are not the strongest team on the mainland, but they can be attributed to strong middle peasants. The class of the Ecuadorians was noticeable from the first minutes, and it is not surprising that already in the third minute the ball was in the gates of the Qataris: goalkeeper Saad Al-Sheeb hesitated at the exit, Felix Torres kicked the scissors towards the goal, and captain Enner Valencia headed the ball into the net. However, a couple of minutes after the video review, the goal was canceled due to offside.

The Ecuadorians did not become sad, and in the 15th minute, Valencia, who broke through to the gate, grabbed Al-Sheeb by the leg. Penalties, and this time no repetitions are needed - 1:0. And in the 31st minute, Enner was again found in Qatar's penalty area at the right time and closed the flank feed with his head – 2:0. In the evening air, there was a smell of defeat - the Qataris could not show anything but desire.

Alas, such an advantage of the Ecuadorians in the first half turned the second half of the game into a boring obligatory. Only in the 86th minute did the spectators see a dangerous moment: Mohammed Muntari made a touch from the corner of the penalty area just above the gates of the Ecuadorians. 2:0 - three points go to the guys from the equator.

I wonder how British journalist Amjad Taha feels, who recently said that Qatar bribed eight Ecuadorian footballers for $7.4 million to lose 0-1 with a goal in the second half. Although what is there - for sure he will say that he thwarted the match-fixing.