By Napoleon Ato Kittoe
The 2022 soccer world cup opened in Qatar with the immediate announcement a new superstar may have arrived on the scene but one who needs more games to affirm the big bang. The player called Valencia of Ecuador was the klieg lighting within the Ecuador set-up which is to be admired for its athleticism and ball sense. What else could be the by-product of the contest than the suspense and anxiety that it generates for the teams and analysts of the popular sport that Qatar generously unleashed billions, possibly for its greatest manifestation?
The very first match of Qatar at the highest level and as hosts, yet the country was accorded very little respect by the contenders from South America whose comparative advantage is football where they are ruthless on opponents. The World Cup is in class of its own, and its new dimension has been defined by Ecuador, which superbly dismissed the Qatari challenge. Unknown as the quantity of the opposition was, Ecuador proved that skill makes a difference no matter the darkness of the forest. Thus, although the initial approach looked like grope in the dark for the Ecuadorians, they lived up to the demands of the higher standards required to make impact.
Valencia scored in the early exchanges following a blistering attack from Ecuador, but that was ruled offside. A beautiful scissor kick just on the outside of Qatar’s box went straight to Valencia. The goal thief did not delay in banging in the ball. The goal did not count but appeared to reveal intentions and set the stage for the tournament’s historic first goal yet to come. It did arrive in the 19th minute after a strong run by an Ecuador forward inside the Qatari 18 yard box. He was brought down by the goalie, and the resultant spot kick was coolly planted by Valencia. How that was executed was in itself a talk of town as he tilted his body frame in one direction to program the goalie before going the other way.
The second goal was scored in the 33rd minute. It was another fluent build up that saw key man Valencia at the end of a deep cross. Several heads flung in the air to catch this flight but got the head of Valencia. It reflected his good anticipation, yet the opposite in the Qatari goalie. He was completely in sixes and sevens, lost on the radar as the majestic header directed the ball to the far corner of the goalpost. It was a manner that posts the first index of the quality that has assembled in Qatar. That looks like a fountain for Qatar to source its future organisation of the game, for this was a true baptism of fire.