Thursday 24th November 2022 7pm – The FIFA World Cup – Stadium 974, Doha
“‘Cuse me mate, where is the Metro?” I’m sure the joke was funny the first time but the English guy walking just in front of me towards the Education City Metro entrance thought he was hilarious by asking the volunteers who were directing us towards the trains. I’m going to confess that I sneaked out five minutes early of what was a marginally better game than the Switzerland v Cameroon one, but looked destined to finish goal less.
Game three was being held at Stadium 974, the most central and in theory, one of the easiest to get to. Eight stops back to interchange central at Msheireb then a change onto the gold line for the journey east to Ras Bu Abboud – a 45 minute journey including the walk at the far end. With Brazil facing Serbia in game four of the day at Lusail, thousands of South Americans were heading north, also through Msheireb that led to chaotic scenes at the station. The volunteers put in place a one-way system that had us going back one stop on the metro then changing to avoid an almighty crust – 45 minutes was now 55 minutes. Touch and go whether I’d get there for the anthem now.
Stadium 974 was named not only after the International Dialling Code for Qatar, but also coincidently, included 974 shipping containers in its design, meaning within hours of the final game it would host in the tournament, it would be taken apart and distributed far and wide. Quite what someone would do with a shipping container that contained used urinals and all that sailed in them, I don’t know.
The walk from the stadium saw the first ticket touts out in force in the games so far – the going rate was over $300 for a category 3 ticket, about 3 x face value. It seemed everyone wanted to watch Ronaldo, with numerous fans holding home made signs and even home made shirts. The extraordinary interview the player had done with Piers Morgan just before the start of the tournament had meant to make everyone feel sorry for how he had been treated at Manchester United. It had the opposite effect, perhaps because who the interview was conducted by, polarising Ronaldo from the rest of the Portuguese squad and even some of their fans.
I finally reached the first security check-point but my way was blocked as hundreds of ticket-less fans were trying to force their way in. I was directed around to another entrance, which eventually saw me on the opposite of the stadium to my entrance. Five minutes to go until anthems.
I reached Gate 32 and then started to climb up and up. The anthems finished just as I emerged into the brightness of an impressive bowl. It seemed there were Portugal fans everywhere…or Ronaldo fans to be more precise. Every time he touched the ball, up they went cheering and waving their little flags. Even when he gave the ball away, which was more than he actually did something right, there was applause. Had he been withdrawn after five minutes I suspect the majority of these “fans” would exit too – it’s not like we hadn’t already seen the fickle nature of some fans in the first couple of games in the tournament.
The first half was average at best. Having seen 1 goal in 180 minutes (plus 17 minutes added on), the odds weren’t looking good here. Ronaldo headed past the post, then hit straight at the keeper when clean through. Oh, and put the ball into the net, but looked like a child forgotten by Santa on Christmas Day when the referee pulled play back for the clear foul on Djiku. 0-0 at the break.
Any doubts about this being a dull affair were soon dispelled and this turned out to be the best 45 minutes I saw in the tournament and perhaps that anyone else saw. It all kicked off on the hour mark when Ronaldo, who else, surged into the area and went down very easily under a challenge from Salisu. There was no doubt this would be a penalty – there would conveniently be no VAR review. He stepped up, scored and celebrated like it was the World Cup winning goal.
Against the run of play, Ghana equalised in the 71st minute, when Andre Ayew stabbed home from close range in one of their first forays into the Portugal box. The stadium, bar the “sponsored” Ghana fans, conveniently located behind the goal, fell silent.
With twelve minutes remaining Portugal retook the lead when Joao Felix who “dinked” the ball over the Ghana keeper as he rushed out to close him down. Two minutes later they appeared to have wrapped up the win when Rafael Leao finished smartly from a Bruno Fernandes through ball.
Ronaldo departed in the final minute, as too did half of the stadium. But those that did stay saw a very dramatic last ten minutes. Firstly Bukari headed home for Ghana to reduce the arrears to 3-2 and then came THE moment of the game and one that Ghana would rue for their tournament. In Andy Dibble style, goalkeeper Diogo Costa dropped the ball in front of himself, oblivious to the presence of Inaki Williams lurking with deadly intent behind him. Williams darted forward and stole the ball but slipped as he turned to shoot into an empty net and there was a huge collective exhale from the Portuguese team and fans.
Full time and Portugal had their win in a fantastic second half. It was 9:15pm. I had 45 minutes to get to Lusail for Brazil versus Serbia. The stadium to stadium buses were running there, Google Maps suggested the journey time was 30 minutes. Four games in a day would be an amazing achievement. However, one small fly in the ointment was the fact I didn’t have a ticket. I’d reached out to a few people I knew were in Qatar but no one had a spare. The resale markets were at the $275 level, too much at the moment (but in hindsight I wish I had splashed out).
And so onto day two.
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