Round 1 of the World Cup has come to a close and now it is time to enter the 2nd round in the group stage. Round 1 brought lots of exciting action, goals and memories. From some of the top World Cup contenders falling short of a victory to teams shocking themselves by making history which they will never forget.
The World Cup is surely back in action once again. Now it is time for Futbol Mundial to bring you the best moments and matches from this previous round.
Argentina big loss and almost a dissappointment in the World Cup
This game was not only one of the highlights of the tournament but in football history. Saudi Arabia stunned World Cup favorites by coming from behind and beating them 2-1. This loss was the end of Ablecieste’s 36 game winning streak and failed to break Italy’s record of 37 games unbeaten.
To make things worse for Argentina they had three goals ruled out which denied them a win on the day.
This win also puts Saudi Arabia in the driving seat as they are first place whereas Argentina will have a mountain to climb as they are at the bottom.
Things to do not get easier for Ablecieste as they face Mexico and Poland in games which could decide if they progress or not. This was a game where Argentina underestimated Saudi Arabia’s ability and were made to pay.
Germans are struggling too
Argentina were not the only team that were handed an upset as Germany got beaten 2-1 by Japan. The Germans face the prospect of getting knocked out again if they do not bounce back quickly. They face Spain in the next round and they must win to stand any chance of staying in Qatar.
Gundogan gave Germany the lead in the first half and things were looking good until Japan struck an equalizer through Ritsu Doan. Japan became increasingly confident and Takuma Asano gave the Samurais the lead with seven minutes to spare.
Germany’s defeat against Japan means it is their second opening game upset in a row as they lost to Mexico four years ago 1-0. Germany outplayed Japan as they registered more shots on target and had more possession but it was not to be for them.
Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo entertaining
Arguably the most entertaining game of round 1 was Portugal and Ghana. The Ghanaians gave Portugal a good fight but however they were on the losing end of a five goal thriller. This was a game that became alive after the hour mark when Ronaldo gave Portugal the lead through the penalty spot. His goal meant that he had become the first player to score in five different World Cups.
Ghana became the first African nation to score in the World Cup when Dede Ayew equalized in the 73rd minute. Shortly after Joao Felix regained Portugal’s lead and shortly after Rafael Leao doubled Portugal’s lead. Then Osman Bukari got a goal back for Ghana in the 89th minute to give them hope of salvaging a point. An opportunity came for the black stars to equalize through Inaki Williams but he slipped when it really mattered.
