Qatar 0-2 Ecuador: Qatar suffered a crushing defeat in the opening match of the 2022 World Cup. The fundamental cause, according to national coach Félix Sánchez, is tension.
“It didn’t have anything to do with planning. The Qatari internationals had been given competition matches for months in order to be thoroughly prepared for their début on the global scene. It ended up being a letdown,” Sánchez, the national coach, stated after the dismal loss to Ecuador.
“We must soon forget that this was not the dream match. We must draw conclusions for the following game, which will require even more of us. Today, we are outmatched on every front.”
The game’s terrible start, with two goals conceded in the opening half hour, did not help to alleviate the intense pressure. Sánchez thought it was paralysing. “We have not hit our peak performance. Our nerves deceived us because we lacked confidence. We also got off to a terrible start, which affected the outcome of the game. We must let go of such pressure in the future.”
The stress weighed heavily on Sánchez’s players. “They couldn’t even play one another three times. That, in my opinion, was the effect of anxieties rather than the toll we had to spend for the World Cup tournament. We have previously played against high-level countries and were able to compete.”
Qatar 0-2 Ecuador: Alfaro’s interview
The wrong turn inside the lines had ramifications outside the lines as well. The requisite Qatari fans had already exited the stadium by halftime. Sanchez had overlooked it. “I was too busy coaching to notice it. I didn’t notice any blanks either. But I understand why our fans are upset. We must and will do far better. We’ll please the supporters in the next game.’
Ecuador national coach Gustavo Alfaro smiled as he reflected on the World Cup’s exciting start. “We have secured a decisive victory. We’re hoping that this is the beginning of something big. This was the most crucial game since we had to debunk historical beliefs.”
“This is insufficient. We’ve just just started. We must establish it in the upcoming matches,” Alfaro added. “I’m not fully satisfied, but I’m at peace since we did what we needed to do. We must improve if we are to advance to the following round.”
