Questions surrounded Senegal heading into the World Cup after star attacker Sadio Mané was ruled out of the tournament, but the Lions of Teranga aren't the champions of Africa because of the efforts of one single individual. Senegal clinched the runner-up spot in Group A and eliminated Ecuador by defeating La Tri 2-1 at Khalifa International Stadium on Tuesday.
Morocco shocked the world after an unexpected but well-deserved 2-0 win over Belgium on Sunday. However, amidst the joy of the historic victory, a mystery emerged around their first-choice goalkeeper Yassine "Bono" Bounou.
Bono was set to start the game against the Belgians. He warmed up before the match, walked onto the pitch with his teammates, sang the national anthem and then boom! He disappeared.
Los Ticos were in a world of hurt after their opening match, losing 7-0 to a well-oiled Spain side. The Costa Ricans were sentenced to death by passing as Luis Enrique’s side completed a staggering 1,045 passes in the match, but their performance against a Japan side that shockingly beat Germany on matchday one was more than laudable, grabbing a winner in the 81st minute while also keeping the Samurai Blue off the score sheet.
The USMNT "won" another famous World Cup draw with England on Friday, battling to a 0-0 stalemate in a gripping affair in which the U.S. outshot the Three Lions 10 to eight, earned seven corners and, without a doubt, inspired its country back home.
Before the tournament started, if U.S. supporters were offered the eventual outcome of only needing to beat Iran to advance to the last-16 they'd have taken that agreement in a heartbeat. Well, that's the scenario the U.S. faces on Tuesday after Iran beat Wales 2-0 earlier in the day.
Saudi defender Yasser Al-Shahrani was one of the stars in the surprising 2-1 win over Argentina. However, the player was not able to celebrate the victory properly after suffering a nasty facial injury. So bad that he was taken off the field on a stretcher and then flown home for surgery.
The whole sequence was hard to see.
Germany kicked off its 2022 campaign with a continuation of its World Cup struggles from four years ago. Japan scored a late equalizer followed by an even later winner to secure a historic 2-1 win over the champions from 2014.
JAPAN TAKES THE LEAD
JAPAN TAKES THE LEAD
JAPAN TAKES THE LEAD pic.twitter.com/V5Jzmnc8cJ— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 23, 2022
Saudi players were pumped up after Salem Al Dawsari scored the goal that stunned Argentina in their World Cup opener. So high was the rush that seconds after bagging the goal, defender Ali Al-Bulayhi went to Lionel Messi to taunt him.
You'll hear the sentiment over and over again during tournament coverage: There are no mysteries at the World Cup anymore — modernity and globalization have combined to eliminate the past thrill of the complete unknown showing up on our TV screens and taking over.
Argentina, ranked third in the FIFA Rankings and a trendy pick to win the World Cup, has suffered one of the greatest upsets in tournament history after Saudi Arabia, ranked 51st and expected to finish fourth in Group C, went toe-to-toe with the South American giant and prevailed 2-1.
The match had presented Argentina with a chance at equaling Italy's international record of 37 games unbeaten, but that streak is over and more importantly, La Albiceleste are in serious trouble with Mexico (Nov. 26) and Poland (Nov. 30) up next.
AL KHOR, Qatar - Captain Enner Valencia extended his cult status in Ecuador to wider international acclaim with a first-half double that propelled the South Americans to a comfortable 2-0 win over hosts Qatar in the opening game of the World Cup on Sunday.
The 33-year-old forward, nicknamed Superman, increased his record tally of goals for Ecuador to 37 and became the country’s highest scoring player at World Cup tournaments as his double at the Al Bayt Stadium added to the three he scored in 2014.