New York: On the third day of the 23rd FIFA World Cup (as per Indian time), fans witnessed several thrilling and unexpected results. Most notably, Brazil, the nation with a record five World Cup titles, failed to secure victory in its opening match.
Qatar Earn Historic First World Cup Point
In San Francisco, the exciting clash between 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar and Switzerland ended in a 1-1 draw after midnight on Saturday. The draw earned Qatar a point, marking the first point in the nation’s FIFA World Cup history, as the team had lost all of its matches in the previous World Cup.
On Saturday night, Breel Embolo put Switzerland ahead 1-0 in the 17th minute with a penalty kick. Even after the completion of the regulation 90 minutes, it appeared that Switzerland would hold on for a narrow 1-0 victory. However, in the 94th minute of stoppage time, Asian champions Qatar dramatically turned the match around through a header from Boualem Khoukhi.
Qatar Turn a Losing Match Into a Draw
As Khoukhi’s header was heading toward goal, Swiss defender Miro Muheim, under pressure from the Qatari player, inadvertently diverted the ball into his own net. Qatar thus benefited from an own goal and salvaged a 1-1 draw against Switzerland. Both teams were awarded one point each.
Morocco Hold Brazil to a Draw
The match between Brazil and Morocco in New Jersey provided another thrilling contest. Brazil looked weakened without the injured Neymar, but Vinicius Junior spared the five-time champions from an embarrassing defeat.
Ismael Saibari gave Morocco the lead in the 21st minute, putting Brazil behind 0-1. However, Vinicius equalized in the 32nd minute to make it 1-1. Neither side could find another goal for the remainder of the match, which ended in a draw.
Had Vinicius not scored and Brazil lost the match, it would have marked Brazil’s first defeat in a World Cup opener since 1934. Morocco, the reigning African champions, also achieved a milestone by scoring against a South American team in the World Cup for the first time. Both Brazil and Morocco earned one point each.
Haiti Disappointed as Scotland Claim Three Points
In Boston, Scotland defeated Haiti 1-0 thanks to a first-half goal. The decisive strike came from Scotland captain John McGinn.
Haiti’s players put up a spirited fight throughout the match, but Scotland held firm to secure victory and celebrate their first World Cup win in 36 years.
Scotland Move Ahead of Brazil in the Group
Haiti are appearing at the World Cup for the first time in 52 years. Despite an impressive performance against Scotland on Sunday, they failed to earn their first point and were left disappointed.
In Group C, Scotland now lead the standings with three points from their victory. Brazil, by contrast, have only one point after being held to a draw by Morocco, leaving the Scots ahead of the South American giants in the group table.
Also Read: The Real FIFA World Cup Begins on Monday: Here’s Why…