The 2022 World Cup has got underway as Ecuador beat hosts Qatar 2-0 in the opening game and Twitter had plenty to say about the match.
After all the controversy in the build-up, including Gianni Infantino giving a baffling speech calling himself gay, disabled and a migrant worker, the tournament got underway in the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor.
The hosts had prepared for 12 years for their big moment but looked incredibly nervous as a limited Ecuador side bullied them at will.
Enner Valencia thought he’d scored the tournament’s first goal within three minutes of the kick-off but his effort was ruled out for an automated offside decision.
But Valencia didn’t have to wait long to open his account. Qatar goalkeeper Saad Al-Sheeb bought the former West Ham and Everton striker down inside the penalty area and he tucked away the spot-kick with ease.
Valencia doubled his tally with a thumping header to effectively win the game for Ecuador before half-time and journalists inside the Al Bayt Stadium reported scores of fans leaving at the break.
The second-half was a non-event but social media was full of users claiming Qatar were the worst side in World Cup history after their 2-0 defeat.
While they’ll surely improve in their fixtures against Senegal and Netherlands, their first-half performance was worthy of a struggling League Two side.
As the World Cup finally got underway, we’ve scoured Twitter to bring you the very best reaction from the opening game of the 2022 tournament.
Ruud Gullit
Gullit/Keys here 👑 pic.twitter.com/7MvA7kXJSg
— Adam Hurrey (@FootballCliches) November 20, 2022
Gary Neville
— Jake (fuck FIFA) 🏳️🌈🌱 (@thegaslythe) November 20, 2022
Infantino
Infantino just deciding he wants to speak a few minutes before the tournament starts is peak Infantino #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/OFRjaOAwQI
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) November 20, 2022
Offside
Offside??????? pic.twitter.com/wRGxFHmgOT
— Ian Wright (@IanWright0) November 20, 2022
Shock
Got to admire corruption on this level really. Some Vince McMahon level shit. Not even bothering to hide it and just ruling the goal out for the craic
— Billie (@Billie_T) November 20, 2022
Sounds about right
That’s right, big smiles, rule it out with VAR pic.twitter.com/McQClfVuLZ
— Ross McCafferty (@RossMcCaff) November 20, 2022
Disallowed goal
— Out Of Context Football (@nocontextfooty) November 20, 2022
Thousands of betting slips torn up
That goal just cost ivan Toney 4 grand
— Billie (@Billie_T) November 20, 2022
VAR
VAR just checking if that penalty was offside #QATECU
— Richard Osman (@richardosman) November 20, 2022
Richard Keys
Looking forward to every single goal Qatar concede being ruled out by VAR, until Richard Keys is left to cavort with the trophy with only a small Qatari flag covering his crotch.
— Tim Stillman (@Stillmanator) November 20, 2022
Enner Valencia
Header Valencia, more like
— mms (@Danny_McMoomins) November 20, 2022
Agony
— Out Of Context Football (@nocontextfooty) November 20, 2022
Wayne Rooney
ROOOOONEYYYYYY pic.twitter.com/dwSom9IMdV
— 🏴 (🇧🇷) (@LJxmes) November 20, 2022
Goalkeeper
They’ve had twelve years to prepare for this World Cup and they didn’t bother to scout or train any goalkeepers.
Seems a bit careless.
— Alfie | HITC Sevens (@HITCSevens) November 20, 2022
Half time sub
Be some craic when Qatar come out with someone like Thibaut Courtois in goal for the second half #Qatar2022
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) November 20, 2022
Empty seats
Lots of empty seats as the second half of Qatar v Ecuador kicks off. Those fans can’t all be in the £18,000 executive boxes getting sloshed …
— Sean Ingle (@seaningle) November 20, 2022
Call to prayer?
Suggestions that 20% (it’s growing) of the crowd have left to pray have just been shot down by the Qatari journalist sat next to me. “No, they’ve just left.”
— Matt Slater (@mjshrimper) November 20, 2022
Qatar
Long night ahead for Doha sports talk radio.
— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) November 20, 2022
Oh dear
Official World Cup ambassadors Cafu, Tim Cahill and Samuel Eto’o have all predicted that Qatar will qualify from their group AND KO England in the last 16.
— amar singh (@amarjourno) November 15, 2022
Levels
Qatar reminds me of Graham Potter’s Chelsea
— Martín V (@Napoleonismo) November 20, 2022
Canny
I cashed out my Qatar 1-0 bet at £9.95 after seeing their first pass of the ball
— Billy (@_billyreid) November 20, 2022
READ MORE: What 15 pundits have predicted about England’s World Cup chances
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