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12 hours ago
8
Key events
64 min: Alan McWilliam gets in touch: “Maybe given Fifa’s adoption of newspeak (or no speak in the case of the offside) we should rename this WC to World Cup 1984…”
63 min: Vargas is lively, and it takes two challenges to end his run. Another free-kick into that packed area. It will have to be good. It’s not, and Ndoye can’t pick up the loose ball.
61 min: The stadium yet emptier though the concourses as full, as it’s shelter from the heat.
60 min: Qatar wanted to make subs but as it’s a Swiss corner they demure. Once that’s cleared, on come three players: Fathy, Boudiaf, Alaaeldin.
Al Oui, Gaber, Abdurisag go off.
58 min: Qatari subs are imminent. Switzerland pass the ball around with little pressure on the ball. Afif fancies escaping but the key pass is cut out.
56 min: That second Swiss goal is taking its time. Qatar have done well and they may be better suited to lasting out in what appear to be baking conditions.
54 min: Paul Keane gets in touch: “The cynic in me notes that if everyone is talking about questionable offsides and Fifa not being forthcoming with the material used by VAR, it is moving the conversation away from ticket prices, empty seats, and super-sized concourses - that’s a well-worn tactic.
“On the Mexican Wave, I’m sure you’re aware that local Bay Area icon Krazy George Henderson claims credit for first doing it in the late-70’s: He can still be seen at San Jose Earthquakes MLS games, where he regularly plays the role of Number 1 Cheerleader.”
53 min: More corners, which has been a feature of this World Cup. Qatar seem well-drilled in defending them. Lopetegui is a coach not without his talents, despite what Hammers fans might say.
51 min: Peter Oh gets in touch: “Speaking of the forward-thinking Fifa-backwards talisman, he needs to do more to control the game. In other words he needs to act more like the joystick of the Qatari console.”
Geddit? Atari being local to Santa Clara, Nolan Bushnell and all that.
50 min: It’s all Vargas so far, and he sets up Freuler to boom in a pass for Embolo to spin and shoot wide. Embolo has done a fine, old-fashioned centre-forward’s job, sans goal so far.
49 min: Vargas smashes back in, Akanji the target, and Xhaka sees glory, smashing a side-winder. The keeper saves, and the ref does not see it a corner. This seems to be a problem as this tourney.
48 min: Swiss free-kick, smashed in by Vargas, and headed behind with some element of panic. Vargas’s corner is almost as dangerous. And results in another.
47 min: Mike Wilner gets in touch: “The halftime adverts are on here in the USA. Messi is in most of them. He doesn’t say a word, just dribbles a ball around the product. Beckham is in the rest of the ads. He won’t shut up. Go figure.”
Becks’ on a lot of TV back home, too. Both of them are, in fact.
46 min: Qatar take the kick off, and smash the ball out of play, as is the vogue.
We’re just about back, but here’s Jonathan Wilson on Japan.
The unspoken question for Japan was always: why? Why could South Korea have outstripped them like that? South Korea’s first attempt at a professional league, staged in 1983, had comprised largely sides representing corporations and banks, and was won by Hallelujah, a club run by evangelical Christians. It had only had a truly professional national league from 1996, by which time the glitzy JLeague, with foreign stars such as Gary Lineker, Ramón Díaz and Zico, had been running for three years.
Even Christina Unkel is questioning why Fifa is not showing why the penalty is not offside. She doesn’t seem to think it was onside, and in her polite way, says it’s a “miss” for the governing body. Gary Neville compares the decision to that of a “dictatorship”.
Dan Zilic gets in touch: “German TV referee (Thorsten Kimhöfer) says that they have semi-automated offside in the stadium. He thinks that either didn’t work or the camera angle was too confusing. But he says it looks like clear offside. But he also said the line ref didn’t raise the flag either. Thanks for the fun commentary.”
Hugh Molloy gets in touch: “The irony of the Qatar (population 3m) playing in front of so many empty seats when the actual World Cup in Qatar was played to packed houses across the board.”
Half-time: Qatar 0-1 Switzerland
The direction of traffic and weight of possession is much as expected, though Qatar’s Edmilson has had two serviceable chances. Switzerland will want more, far more, from the second half.
40+6 min: Embolo does well again, spinning, and drawing away defenders. Aebischer shoots at goal but there’s defenders in the way. That second goal won’t come.
45+5 min: The Swiss have not been too convincing, and concede another corner. It’s cleared but they have been casual.
45+3 min: Neat turn from Embolo, and Vargas forces another fine save.
45+2 min: Xhaka has been pulling the strings, as expected, if quieter than at Sunderland. Different climate, of course.
45 min: Qatar hoping to go into the break with just a single-goal deficit but six minutes are added on….Ndoye gets a shot in, and hits it well. Too well? Abunada saves. He’s had a decent game barring the penalty.
44 min: This time the Qatari’s creativity with the corner leads to over-complication and the ball being cleared.
43 min: Afif springs into life, and Edmilson Junior seizes on a fine pass, to force a fine save from Kobel.
42 min: A Swiss yellow for Zakaria for a foul on an escaping Yusuf. Zakaria is playing off the right, as an attacking full-back, when he is normally a midfielder.
40 min: The Swiss frustrated in their search for a second, with shooting from a far too narrow angle.
38 min: They’re doing a Mexican wave, so called in the UK because of the 1986 World Cup. Other parts of the world call it a mere “wave”.
36 min: Charles Antaki gets in touch: “It’s just struck me that - possibly for the first time ever on a football field - we have a player whose name, spelt backwards, is the same as the organisation under whose auspices the game is being played. Step forward Afif/Fifa for the award.”
Is there a Aefu playing football? A Lobemnoc?
35 min: Embolo carves a chance for Ndoye who gets his feet under the ball and blasts into the stands. Another goal is surely coming soon.
34 min: A decent Freuler cross, nodded away, and then Ndoye cuts in to have his cross-shot blocked. The ball keeps coming back to the Swiss team. The estimate of 65% possession seems low.
33 min: Again, the atmosphere is low on energy. And the seats at the bottom of the stand visible from the cameras are in no way full. What happened to 104 Super Bowls?
31 min: Pedro collided with Ahmed, his teammate but will be OK to continue. He leaves the field but not for a minute. Collisions with teammates are OK, by the ever lengthening letter of the law.
29 min: Qatar have a corner. And are delighted. They take their time, and go short, Afif’s ball is decent and causes problems. Qatar’s Pedro has gone down hurt.
27 min: Will that break change things? Qatar go long, their goalie hoofing the ball up to Abdurisag. Afif? Not seen much of him yet.
25 min: Matthias gets in touch: “Genuinely, how is that not offside? I will be using this decision (and the lack of replays) as further evidence of Fifa’s untrustworthiness and corruption next time a decision goes against Canada.”
Our drinks break is accompanied by a drum session that sounds like Santana’s percussion section falling down a hill. Then comes the world’s worst record: House Of Pain.
24 min: Another chance for Switzerland to boom in a set piece. It’s knocked behind and we have a drinks break, as the first quarter ends. Why not change ends?
23 min: Joe Pearson gets in touch: “Even though Alan Parsons is English, the use of “Sirius” is nearly as American as (venture capitalism) apple pie, having been used by the Chicago Bulls as walkup music since the Jordan years.”
21 min: Christina Unkel, ITV’s VAR expert, says the tech came up with the decision. She doesn’t appear to wish to question its fallibility. As she does so, Zakaria has a shot saved. Abunada, by the by, was booked for his foul for the penalty.
19 min: Edmilson Junior is the son of Edmilson, a Brazilian player, though not the the 2002 Brazilian World Cup winner. Qatar are rueing that early chance.
18 min: We’re going to need to see that penalty offside again. Fifa appear reluctant to show it.
Goal! Qatar 0-1 Switzerland (Embolo, 17 pen)
Embolo calmly steers home as the “check over” button is pressed, as is Freed From Desire.
