By Isaac Akugizibwe
It is just the end of the first round of the 2022 FIFA World cup in Qatar and several football fans and experts are beginning to rank it the best ever. From the spectacular opening ceremony to the tears of agony by Uruguay’s Suarez the Qatar fiesta has already given its best share of the beautiful game.
Prior to the tournament,Qatar had been bombarded with a series of critism which appeared to throw a shadow on business that was to come on the pitch but ever since the games opened on November 20th all attention has shifted to matters on the pitch and indeed there hasn’t been any sign of disappointment.
Real excitement begun with the host nation’s citizens turning up in huge numbers to witness the historic opening ceremony as well as watch their team open against Equador which they lost 2-0 but real drama started rearing its head when Saudi Arabia stunned Argentina on day two to spark wild celebrations and a public holiday in Riyad.
That seemed just the beginning of real melodrama as four time champions Germany fell to the Blue Samurais of Japan,the biggest factor for the Germans catastrophic exit at the group stage level for the second time in a row. Morocco’s 2-0 lead, perhaps the best feat by an African team marked the beginning of nerve fledgling displays that would multiply into clusters of crackers in the last group games which were played simultaneously to avoid bias.
Each of the eight groups in Qatar has had a taste of melodrama and spine tingling moments some of which will take time to fade in human memory. Those ecstatic moments of excitement of the Moroccans, the south Koreans , Croatia and the Japanese simply tell the feeling of making it against the odds.
For Africa and Asia,this world cup is already proving milestones. It is the first time in the tournament’s history that Asia is sending three representatives in the knockouts.Japan and Morocco defied the odds to progress as group leaders while Senegal advanced even without star man Sadio Mane.
It is also the first time that all African teams have had a win in the World cup. Cameroon, Ghana and Tunisia will leave Doha with a sense of pride. They have proved to the world that the African game has taken strides up.
Cameroon became the first African side to beat five time champions Brazil with a late strike from Vicent Aboubaker whose name will now go on the same page as that of African great,Didier Drogba and the unlikely Joel Matip as the only African players to score a goal against the Selecao in the World Cup.
It is hoped and there is clear evidence that any of the African teams could make it to the finals based on the teamwork,intensity and determination they have displayed in the group stages.
The whole of Africa now has hopes in Aliou Cisse’s Senegal who take on England on Sunday and the Moroccans who play spain in the other last 16 tie. These ties are expected to yield yet another dose of tension, excitement and melodrama.
