Enner Valencia shone in Ecuador's 2-0 victory over Qatar. The striker scored a brace and could have been celebrating a hat trick if VAR hadn't disallowed a header in the game's third minute.
Ecuador and Qatar fans clash after bribery suggestion
The offside call was right but very controversial, unleashing a series of accusations of corruption against the host country, Qatar. Soccer fans around the world were quick to join and point fingers, both online and inside the Al-Bayt Stadium. On site, an Ecuadorean supporter even had the guts to stand from his seat and suggest an act of bribery with a hand gesture.
His action offended a Qatari fan who aggressively told him to "shut up!"
The very tense sequence was caught on camera.
— M 7 M D (@M_Benz9) November 20, 2022
Scared of the Qatari fan reaction, the Ecuadorean supporter – surrounded by his family – stopped the taunting and asked his counterpart to "relax, relax!"
Both fans seemed to have talked more during the game because a new video emerged later, in which a truce was reached. We don't know the terms of the reconciliation, but in the clip, the Qatari supporter appears holding the Ecuadorean's hand, saying, "in the end, we are only here to see a beautiful game."
اتصالحوا pic.twitter.com/wtn9u1EXpM
— M 7 M D (@M_Benz9) November 20, 2022
"Passion sometimes makes people upset, but we came together for the sport," replied the Ecuadorean fan. "Sports bring people together, so now we are very friendly with each other. I wish Qatar the best and it's a beautiful World Cup so far. You are very friendly."