Qatar 2022: Underestimated Asians And Africans -By Batolu Omokafe

The Qatar 2022 World Cup is the third World Cup Edition to be hosted in Asia and fourth edition to be hosted outside Europe or North America out of 22 editions of the competition. The competition has been hosted once in Africa in 2010. The competition which commenced November 20, had several predictions of the country to win the competition and countries to reach knockout stage. In ten top prediction charts of the competition none would have or had predicted two Asian or African countries to have come this far to knock-out round in the competition. Yet unbelievable not only have they reached the round of 16 competitors, Japan and Morocco had topped their group’s table. Japan emerged first in the group E with 6points, winning two matches. They defeated Spain, one of the predicted group emerger 2 goals to 1 in the last game of the group stages. The ESPN prediction chart had earlier predicted Germany and Spain as competitors to emerge from the group E into the round of 16. Morocco victoriously topped the group F with 7points, 2wins 1draw. The African nation trashed Belgium, one of the golden team of the competition, 2goals to none in the first match of the group stages.

South Korea and Senegal also stunted the competition prediction emerging second in their groups’ stages. Senegal came second in their group with 6 points and losing one game only against Netherlands. South Korea scaled through the group stage on goal difference in the competition after defeating Portugal also by 2 goals to 1 on the 2nd of December 2022.

Senegal will take on England on Sunday 4th of December 2022. Japan and South Korea will have their matches on Monday 5th of December against Croatia and Brazil respectively. While Morocco will take on Spain Tuesday 6th of December.