World Cup 2022 updates: Spain’s Gavi makes history
Qatar World Cup 2022 news on November 23: Spain midfielder Gavi becomes youngest World Cup scorer since Pele in 1958.
Thank you for joining us on an exciting fourth day of the tournament. This blog is now closed. These were the updates on World Cup 2022 on Wednesday, November 23.
Thank you for joining us on an exciting fourth day of the tournament. This blog is now closed. These were the updates on World Cup 2022 on Wednesday, November 23.
- Canada lose 1-0 to Belgium in the last match of the day – the North Americans’ first World Cup game since 1986.
- Spain may not be the favourites to win in Qatar, but they cruised to a 7-0 victory over Costa Rica.
- Spanish midfielder Gavi becomes third youngest World Cup goal-scorer ever.
- Japan came from behind to earn shock victory over four-time champions Germany.
- Morocco held Croatia to a 0-0 draw.
Belgium pay tribute to Courtois
Belgium have paid tribute to their goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois after their win against Canada.
Courtois’s save on a 10th-minute penalty taken by Canada’s Alphonso Davies proved decisive, as the Belgians held on to a 1-0 lead after Michy Batshuayi scored shortly before half-time.
“Thibaut saves the day,” Belgium said through their Twitter account.
Thibaut saves the day! 🔥 #BELCAN #DEVILTIME pic.twitter.com/6lhIGqX7nU
— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) November 23, 2022
Actor Ryan Reynolds ‘proud’ of Canada
Using the hashtag #WeCan, Canadian-American actor Ryan Reynolds has expressed pride in Canada after they narrowly lost to Belgium in a game they dominated for long stretches.
“So proud of this team. They left it all on the field. Beautiful work out there,” Reynolds wrote on Twitter.
So proud of this team. They left it all on the field. Beautiful work out there. #WeCAN 🇨🇦 https://t.co/uFGZZqonmg
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) November 23, 2022
Belgium beat Canada 1-0
Belgium have beaten Canada 1-0 in their World Cup opener.
Belgium’s Michy Batshuayi scored in the 44th minute to see off Canada, who are at their first World Cup since 1986, putting Roberto Martinez’s team top of Group F – two points ahead of both Croatia and Morocco.
The Canadians have yet to score a World Cup goal in their history.
Gavi on goal: ‘It’s an honour’
Spain’s midfielder Gavi expressed joy at becoming the youngest World Cup goal-scorer since Pele during his team’s 7-0 victory against Costa Rica.
But he added that winning the game matters most.
“I’m happy for the accomplishments, but what I really care [about] is that we won and played a great game, let’s move forward,” Gavi told a news conference.
“Of course, it’s an honour… It’s something that makes me really happy.”
Uruguay honour players on their fourth World Cup appearance
Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani, Diego Godin, Fernando Muslera and Martin Caceres have been hailed by the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) for making their fourth World Cup appearance in the tournament in Qatar.
Uruguay open their World Cup 2022 campaign against South Korea on Thursday.
As a symbolic act of Uruguay’s generational change, World Cup debutants Sergio Rochet, Ronald Araujo, Mathias Olivera, Federico Valverde and Darwin Nunez, alongside AUF President Ignacio Alonso, presented an award to acknowledge the leaders of the South American team.
“These players are in full force, they have a lot of history to write,” Alonso said.
Luis Enrique praises ‘exceptional’ Spain
Spain coach Luis Enrique has heaped praise on his players after their 7-0 victory against Costa Rica.
“When things go like this, football becomes a wonderful sport,” Luis Enrique told a news conference.
“We were exceptional in our ball-handling and finishing, with the same philosophy that the national team has had for years. We were exceptional in pressing, and the 17 players who took part were very good.”
‘We were bad’, says Costa Rica coach
Costa Rica coach said he would try to rally his shattered team after their 7-0 thrashing by Spain.
“We couldn’t get the ball and there was nothing in attack from us,” Luis Fernando Suarez told reporters. “I have to admit that we were bad and we all have to take account of what happened.”
Costa Rica, who reached the World Cup quarter-finals in 2014, failed to record a single shot on goal against Spain and now face Japan and Germany in their remaining Group E games.
“We are worried that the group won’t get out this hole that we are in,” Suarez, who is Colombian, said. “I hope that we can short things out and start working from tomorrow before Japan.”
European teams face off against FIFA over ‘OneLove’ armband
Denmark’s Delaney ruled out of World Cup with injury
Danish defensive midfielder Thomas Delaney has been ruled out of the World Cup due to a knee injury sustained in the goalless draw with Tunisia in their opening Group D match.
Delaney will be out of action for about four weeks.
“We will miss him, both on and off the pitch. Other players are ready and we have a strong squad for the next matches” said coach Kasper Hjulmand.
Denmark play defending champions France on Saturday.
Gavi’s number 9 jersey raises questions
Spain’s Gavi made history in the game against Costa Rica, becoming the youngest World Cup goal scorer since Brazilian legend Pele.
While many celebrated the 18-year-old’s achievement, others questioned why Gavi – a central midfielder – has a “9” on the back of his shirt, a number traditionally associated with centre forwards.
Some speculated that it’s an upside-down six, the number of legendary Spain midfielder and Gavi’s current Barcelona coach, Xavi. Others argued that Gavi earned his number 9 with the goal against Costa Rica.
Gavi legit finishing like a No. 9. Maybe he picked the right squad number after all.
— Jack Collins (@jackjcollins) November 23, 2022
Belgium take the lead against Canada
Belgium’s Michy Batshuayi has broken the deadlock, giving his team the lead against Canada against the run of play: 1-0 to Belgium.
Japan fans in joyous disbelief after Germany shocker at World Cup
After Takuma Asano scored Japan’s second goal against Germany in their World Cup opener, there was a brief moment of silence inside Khalifa International Stadium.
The stunned German fans could not believe what had just happened. The patient Japanese were waiting to see if an offside would be called.
Then, after the goal stood, it was bedlam.
“I was jumping. I was screaming. I fell and hurt myself, but I don’t care,” Kayde, a 13-year-old Japanese fan, told Al Jazeera outside the stadium after the match ended.
Costa Rica’s thrashing is Spain’s biggest World Cup win
The 7-0 victory against Costa Rica is Spain’s biggest-ever win at a World Cup. Luis Enrique’s men broke a previous Spanish record set in 1998: a 6-1 victory over Bulgaria.
Record-breaking 🇪🇸
Spain have scored seven goals in a match for the first time at the #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/biyQLQpiGg
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 23, 2022
Swiss captain Xhaka sees no need to copy Germany’s armband protest
Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka says his side does not have to copy Germany’s mouth-covering protest against FIFA’s threat to sanction players who wear rainbow-themed armbands.
“I don’t think we need to do anything as the Swiss team,” Xhaka told reporters ahead of Switzerland’s Group G opener against Cameroon on Thursday. “We need to respect the rules and concentrate on our football. That’s all I intend to do.
“We’re here to play football and not hand out lessons to anyone.”
A representative of the Swiss football federation had previously said Xhaka “would have liked” to wear the armband but would instead wear one provided by FIFA with an anti-racist message.
The Swiss were one of seven European teams whose captains were to wear the armband in support of LGBTQ rights at the tournament in Qatar, where same-sex relations are illegal.
Courtois saves penalty: Canada still waiting for first World Cup goal
Alphonso Davies has failed to convert from the spot after Canada were awarded a penalty for a handball inside the box.
A big save from Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois means that Canada’s first-ever World Cup goal has to wait.
Canada vs Belgium kicks off
The Group F game between Canada and Belgium has kicked off in Doha’s Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, popularly known as Al Rayyan Stadium. Follow live updates from the match here.
Canada vs Belgium
The Group F match between Canada and Belgium is about to start. Who will win?
Take part in our poll here:
⚽️ Belgium V Canada is the final #FIFAWorldCup group game of the day. Who will win? Vote below 👇 #BELCAN
— AJE Sport (@AJE_Sport) November 23, 2022
Koulibaly challenges younger Senegal teammates to step up
Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly has challenged his younger teammates to produce an improved performance in their next match against World Cup hosts Qatar.
Koulibaly still believed Senegal could advance to the next round despite starting their Group A campaign with a 2-0 loss to the Netherlands on Monday.
“We are still determined because we know that there is something that we can still achieve during this World Cup and we still believe in our chances,” he told reporters.
“Our young players will have to show themselves during the next two games. They have to be on their best form to be able to produce in a big match that we have next against Qatar.”
Fans share thoughts on World Cup stadium experience without alcohol
Football fans in Qatar share their thoughts on how the first few days of the World Cup have gone without alcohol in or around stadiums.
Spain’s Gavi becomes youngest World Cup scorer since Pele
At 18 years and 110 days, Spain’s Gavi has become the youngest World Cup scorer since the Brazilian legend Pele, who scored his first World Cup goal in 1958 at the age of 17.
Gavi, who scored his team’s fifth goal in their 7-0 victory over Costa Rica, also became the third-youngest World Cup scorer ever – behind Pele and Mexico’s Manuel Rosas, who scored in the 1930 tournament.
The kid is alright 😉🇪🇸
Gavi (18y,110d) is the youngest #FIFAWorldCup scorer since Pelé in 1958 (117y, 249d).
What a moment! #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/9ixdKSH0n2
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 23, 2022
World Cup lifts Canadian fans: Country appearing in finals for second time
Spain thrash Costa Rica 7-0
That final whistle could not come quickly enough for Costa Rica as they struggled to contain a Spanish team that put seven goals past their goalkeeper Keylor Navas.
Read the match report here.
Canada vs Belgium line-ups: Alphonso Davies starts
Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies returns to Canada’s starting 11 after injury concerns. Here are the teams that will take to the pitch for the World Cup Group F match with Belgium.
Belgium: Thibaut Courtois, Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Leander Dendoncker, Timothy Castagne, Axel Witsel, Youri Tielemans, Yannick Carrasco, Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Michy Batshuayi
Canada: Milan Borjan, Richie Laryea, Kamal Miller, Steven Vitoria, Alistair Johnston, Davies Alphonso, Stephen Eustaquio, Atiba Hutchinson, Tajon Buchanan, Junior Hoilett, Jonathan David
HERE. WE. GO. 🍁#WeCAN pic.twitter.com/51Xit3yFJF
— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) November 23, 2022
Spain go up 5-0 against Costa Rica
With an outside-of-the-boot finish, Gavi scores Spain’s fifth against Costa Rica in the 74th minute: 5-0.
Why Brazilian football fans are ditching the yellow jersey
The adoption of Brazil’s iconic yellow shirt in political campaigns – most recently by outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro and his right-wing supporters prior to his 2018 election win – has prompted many fans to give up on it.
“Wearing the yellow jersey was a moment of pride for me,” 33-year-old fan Higor Ramalho told Al Jazeera.
“It was a symbol of victory. I used to wear it not only while watching matches but also on regular days. Now, I have stopped wearing it for political reasons. The current president, along with his supporters, turned the yellow jersey into a political campaign and a symbol of their political party.
“And as I don’t support their political ideas, I refuse to be mistaken as one of them.”