Sports
Qatar World Cup Day 7: Argentina playing for survival, Saudi and France vying for R16 spot
The first round of the group stage of the ongoing football world cup event concluded on Thursday, with some unexpected results. The host team, Qatar, became the first team out of the tournament after conceding two back-to-back defeats. On Saturday, four crucial matches will take place, with the biggest fixture being top-favourite Argentina's clash against Mexico. Let’s have a look at the group-phase matches that will take place on Qatar World Cup Day 7.
Group C
The two matches in Group C that will be held today are Saudi Arabia vs Poland at 7 p.m. (BST) and Argentina vs Mexico at 1 a.m. Sunday (BST).
Read More: Qatar World Cup Round 1 Overview: One of the most unpredictable football events in recent years
Saudi Arabia vs Poland
After a surprising 2-1 victory over Argentina, the Asian giant Saudi Arabia are one of the most talked-about teams in this World Cup. They have a genuine chance to advance to the Round of 16 if they win any of their remaining two group phase matches against Poland or Mexico. With the confidence they have right now, the Saudi side can feel that they have a strong chance to make it to the next round.
Poland, on the other hand, should target this match to earn all three points, as they can’t settle for another draw. The Polish team will top the group if they beat Saudi Arabia in this contest. All eyes will be on Robert Lewandowski, who missed a penalty in their opening match against Mexico.
Argentina vs Mexico
It’s a do-or-die contest for two-time champions Argentina after their shocking defeat to Saudi Arabia last week. Argentina will be out of the tournament at the group stage if they fail to win the match against Mexico, which will be hugely embarrassing for them. Coach Lionel Scaloni is mapping out an effective strategy that would see his side display a dominant performance against the Mexican team, something that was missing in the first match.
For Mexico, this is a very crucial game as well. They are very much aware that Argentina will attempt to boss the contest, so getting all three points will be tough for them. The Mexican side will be hoping for at least a draw. Anything is possible if they can unsettle Argentina with a plan that they don't anticipate.
Group D
The two Group D fixtures that will be held today are: Tunisia vs Australia at 4 p.m. (BST) and France vs Denmark at 10 p.m. (BST).
Read More: Argentina vs Mexico FIFA World Cup 2022 LIVE Streaming: Where, how to watch online and on TV, predicted XI
Tunisia vs Australia
Tunisia can feel confident that they will advance to the Round of 16 after holding Denmark to a 0-0 draw in their first match.Tunisia will go for everything to beat Australia in this match to make sure they are very much in the race for the top two finishes.
Australia, on the other hand, will be out of the competition if they lose against Tunisia. They lost 4-1 against France after taking an early lead. This may disrupt their confidence a bit. But the Australian side has the ability to shock big teams, and this match against Tunisia will be a tough battle to watch.
France vs Denmark
Two strong favourites from this group are France and Denmark. The reigning champions started their campaign very well by beating Australia 4-1. Denmark, on the other hand, struggled against Tunisia and now face pressure when they play France today. Denmark will be hoping to snatch at least a point from this fixture if they fail to overcome the 2018 Champions.
On the other hand, France will secure their place in the Round of 16 if they win the match against Denmark. French coach Didier Deschamps won’t surely leave it to their final fixture of the group phase against Tunisia. He will expect a dominant performance from his side against the Danish team to get all three points.
Read More: US earns respect at World Cup, but wins remain elusive
Aftermath
The four matches on Day 7 of the Qatar World Cup are very important in the race to qualify for the Round of 16. Argentina, one of the most popular football teams in the world, would be eliminated from the competition if they suffered two consecutive defeats, which would be a major upset in this year's event. Besides, France and Saudi Arabia have a chance to make it to the knockout phase. Overall, Saturday's FIFA World Cup 2022 group stage matches should be exciting to watch.
Poland vs Saudi Arabia FIFA World Cup 2022 LIVE Streaming: Where and how to watch online and on TV Channel, predicted XI
Here you can get all the details as to When, Where, and How you can watch the FIFA World Cup 2022 between Poland vs Saudi Arabia Live Streaming
Saudi Arabia produced one of the great World Cup shocks as they kicked off their group-stage campaign by beating Argentina last time out.
The Poles were left ruing a missed penalty from Robert Lewandowski as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Mexico in their first game.
Where and how to watch FIFA World Cup 2022 Poland vs Saudi Arabia live in Bangladesh?
Bangladesh viewers can watch the match live on all of these channels: BTV, T Sports, PTE LTD and Viacom 18.
Toffee apps live-The digital platform powered by Banglalink
Bangladesh viewers can also enjoy live stream online the World Cup games on Toffee, the digital platform powered by Banglalink.
Besides, many Facebook pages and YouTube channels also live the match
How to watch Poland vs Saudi Arabia live stream in India
In India, the World Cup is being televised on Sports18, but every game is being shown for free and in 4K via the JioCinema app. You can live stream Poland vs Saudi Arabia on Sunday night.
Coverage is available in Hindi, English, Malayalam, Bengali and Tamil, and the JioCinema app is compatible with Chromecast, so you can get a big-screen experience.
Anyone outside of India who wants to watch their home World Cup coverage can just pick up a good VPN and follow the instructions above to safely live stream the action.
How to watch Poland vs Saudi Arabia live stream in Australia
Football fans in Australia can watch Poland vs Saudi Arabia, along with every World Cup 2022 game, on free-to-air SBS. You can tune in on TV or live stream Poland vs Saudi Arabia using SBS On Demand.
Read: Argentina vs Mexico FIFA World Cup 2022 LIVE Streaming: Where, how to watch online and on TV, predicted XI
SBS on Demand is free to use and works on a range of smart devices including mobile phones, smart TVs and web browsers.
How to watch Poland vs Saudi Arabia live stream World Cup 2022 soccer in the US without cable
Soccer fans in the US can watch Poland vs Saudi Arabia on FS1 and Peacock TV, with kick-off set for 11am ET / 8am PT on Sunday morning.
FS1 shares TV rights to the 2022 World Cup group stage with Fox, but Fox will be showing every game of the knockouts.
Poland vs Saudi Arabia live stream without cable
If you don't have cable TV, a cord-cutting service is what you need for instant access to Fox and FS1. Sling Blue is the cheapest option. It's $40 per month but you can get your first month half-price with this discount.
FuboTV is another good option. It carries both Fox and FS1, and over 100 channels besides, and allows you to watch the World Cup 2022 in 4K HDR. It's more expensive at $69.99 a month, but first there's a FREE FuboTV trial.
Every game of the World Cup is also being shown on Peacock TV, but the catch is that commentary will be in Spanish. To make up for that, Poland vs Saudi Arabia and a few other games are being shown for FREE. The Peacock price comes in at $4.99 a month and the service also offers live coverage of the NFL, EPL and WWE.
If you subscribe to Sling, Peacock or any other US streaming service, and find yourself unable to access coverage because you're out of the country, consider using a VPN – we rate ExpressVPN as the best of the best.
How to watch Poland vs Saudi Arabia live stream in UK
Football fans in the UK can watch Poland vs Saudi Arabia live stream for free on BBC iPlayer, along with many more World Cup 2022 games, as coverage of the tournament is split evenly between the BBC and ITV.
Every BBC game will be on BBC TV channels in HD and also live streamed on BBC iPlayer in glorious 4K HDR. Just make sure you possess a valid TV license and that your device is 4K-compatible with iPlayer.
Away from home in the UK right now? No worries:
Use ExpressVPN to watch BBC iPlayer from abroad.
Read: FIFA World Cup: Neymar in tears after injury against Serbia
BBC iPlayer is free to use and works across a wide range of devices including smart TVs, laptops, games consoles, mobile phones, tablets and streaming sticks. You can watch all the other World Cup 2022 live streams for free on ITV Hub.
How to watch Poland vs Saudi Arabia live stream in Canada
TSN is the place to watch every 2022 World Cup soccer game in Canada. If you get the channel as part of your cable deal, you'll be able to log in with the details of your provider for access Poland vs Saudi Arabia live stream.
If you don't have cable, you can subscribe to TSN on a streaming-only basis for $19.99 a month or $199.90 per year.
If you decide to subscribe, or already have, remember you can take your favorite sports streaming service with you wherever you go – just try our No. 1 overall rated VPN 100% risk-free for 30-days and follow the instructions
How to watch live Poland vs Saudi Arabia Match live from Iran and others country?
If you're abroad during World Cup 2022, and want to tune into your usual home coverage, you'll most likely find yourself geo-blocked and will need to use a VPN to unlock your access.
A VPN is a piece of software that allows you to change your apparent location and World 2022 live streams from any country and streaming service you need. They're easy to use and super-secure. We rate ExpressVPN as the best VPN for streaming.
When & Where is Poland v Saudi Arabia Match?
Poland vs Saudi Arabia: The Poland vs Saudi Arabia match will be played on November 26 at 6:30 PM (BST) in the Education City Stadium, Ar Rayyan.
What time and date will the FIFA World Cup 2022 Poland vs Saudi Arabia match are played?
The Poland vs Saudi Arabia match will be played on November 26 at 6:30 PM (BST) in the Education City Stadium, Ar Rayyan.
Poland vs Saudi Arabia lineups: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
Poland predicted starting 11
Poland (4-1-3-2 right to left): 1. Szczesny (GK) — 2. Cash, 14. Kiwior, 15. Glik, 8. Bereszynski — 10. Krychowiak —13. Kaminski, 20. Zielinski, 6. Bielik — 9. Lewandowski, 7. Milik
Injured: none
Read: FIFA World Cup: Richarlison's second-half brace give Brazil 2-0 win over Serbia
Suspended: none
Saudi Arabia predicted starting 11
Saudi Arabia (4-5-1, right to left): 21. Al-Owais (GK) — 12. Abdulhamid, 17. Tambakti, 5. Al-Boleahi, 3. Madu — 9. Al-Buraikan 23. Kanno, 8. Al-Malki, 7. Al-Faraj, 10. Al-Dawsari — 11. Al-Shehri
Injured: Yasser Al-Shahrani
Suspended: none
Saudi Arabia vs Poland Head to Head Stats
Matches: 4
Poland 4
Draws: 0
Saudi Arabia: 0
Qatar World Cup Round 1 Overview: One of the most unpredictable football events in recent years
Qatar 2022 is proving itself to be one of the most unpredictable football tournaments in recent years. It has only been the first round of fixtures, and we have already seen it all, from giant killings to thrashings to goal of the year contenders. But after every team has played on the stage, where do they stand? Who has emerged as the new favourite? Let’s take a look at the Qatar World Cup Round 1 Overview.
Argentina vs Mexico FIFA World Cup 2022 LIVE Streaming: Where, how to watch online and on TV, predicted XI
Here you can get all the details as to When, Where, and How you can watch the FIFA World Cup 2022 between Argentina and Mexico Live Streaming.
Argentina, one of the favorites to win the World Cup, will look to get their campaign back on track when they face familiar foe Mexico on Sunday. Lionel Messi and company are coming off of that shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia and have no more margin for error as they aim to position themselves in the top two of Group C ahead of their final match against Poland. Mexico are also looking for their first win but are sitting in a better position after drawing Poland in the opener. Argentina and Mexico played at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups knockout stages with the South Americans winning both.
Where and how to watch FIFA World Cup 2022 Argentina vs. Mexico live online?
Where and how to watch FIFA World Cup 2022 Argentina vs. Mexico live in Bangladesh?
Bangladesh viewers can watch the match live on all of these channels: BTV, T Sports, PTE LTD and Viacom 18.
Toffee apps live-The digital platform powered by Banglalink
Bangladesh viewers can also enjoy live stream online the World Cup games on Toffee, the digital platform powered by Banglalink.
Besides, many Facebook pages and YouTube channels also live the match
How to watch Argentina vs. Mexico live stream in India
In India, the World Cup is being televised on Sports18, but every game is being shown for free and in 4K via the JioCinema app. You can live stream Qatar vs Ecuador from 9.30pm IST on Sunday night.
Coverage is available in Hindi, English, Malayalam, Bengali and Tamil, and the JioCinema app is compatible with Chromecast, so you can get a big-screen experience.
Anyone outside of India who wants to watch their home World Cup coverage can just pick up a good VPN and follow the instructions above to safely live stream the action.
How to watch Argentina vs. Mexico live stream in Australia
Football fans in Australia can watch Argentina vs. Mexico, along with every World Cup 2022 game, on free-to-air SBS. You can tune in on TV or live stream Qatar vs Ecuador using SBS On Demand.
SBS on Demand is free to use and works on a range of smart devices including mobile phones, smart TVs and web browsers.
Read more: France vs Australia FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LIVE Streaming: Where and how to watch online and on TV Channel, predicted XI
How to watch Argentina vs. Mexico live stream World Cup 2022 soccer in TV
How to watch Argentina vs. Mexico live stream World Cup 2022 soccer in the US without cable
Soccer fans in the US can watch Argentina vs. Mexico on FS1 and Peacock TV, with kick-off set for 11am ET / 8am PT on Sunday morning.
FS1 shares TV rights to the 2022 World Cup group stage with Fox, but Fox will be showing every game of the knockouts.
Argentina vs. Mexico live stream without cable
If you don't have cable TV, a cord-cutting service is what you need for instant access to Fox and FS1. Sling Blue is the cheapest option. It's $40 per month but you can get your first month half-price with this discount.
FuboTV is another good option. It carries both Fox and FS1, and over 100 channels besides, and allows you to watch the World Cup 2022 in 4K HDR. It's more expensive at $69.99 a month, but first there's a FREE FuboTV trial.
Every game of the World Cup is also being shown on Peacock TV, but the catch is that commentary will be in Spanish. To make up for that, Qatar vs Ecuador and a few other games are being shown for FREE. The Peacock price comes in at $4.99 a month and the service also offers live coverage of the NFL, EPL and WWE.
If you subscribe to Sling, Peacock or any other US streaming service, and find yourself unable to access coverage because you're out of the country, consider using a VPN – we rate ExpressVPN as the best of the best.
How to watch Argentina vs. Mexico live stream in UK
Football fans in the UK can watch Argentina vs. Mexico live stream for free on BBC iPlayer, along with many more World Cup 2022 games, as coverage of the tournament is split evenly between the BBC and ITV.
Every BBC game will be on BBC TV channels in HD and also live streamed on BBC iPlayer in glorious 4K HDR. Just make sure you possess a valid TV license and that your device is 4K-compatible with iPlayer.
Away from home in the UK right now? No worries:
Use ExpressVPN to watch BBC iPlayer from abroad.
BBC iPlayer is free to use and works across a wide range of devices including smart TVs, laptops, games consoles, mobile phones, tablets and streaming sticks. You can watch all the other World Cup 2022 live streams for free on ITV Hub.
How to watch Argentina vs. Mexico live stream in Canada
TSN is the place to watch every 2022 World Cup soccer game in Canada. If you get the channel as part of your cable deal, you'll be able to log in with the details of your provider for access to Argentina vs. Mexico live stream.
Read more: England vs Iran FIFA World Cup 2022 LIVE Streaming: Where and how to watch online and on TV Channel, predicted XI
If you don't have cable, you can subscribe to TSN on a streaming-only basis for $19.99 a month or $199.90 per year.
If you decide to subscribe, or already have, remember you can take your favorite sports streaming service with you wherever you go – just try our No. 1 overall rated VPN 100% risk-free for 30-days and follow the instructions
How to watch live Argentina vs. Mexico Match live from Iran and others country?
If you're abroad during World Cup 2022, and want to tune into your usual home coverage, you'll most likely find yourself geo-blocked and will need to use a VPN to unlock your access.
A VPN is a piece of software that allows you to change your apparent location and World 2022 live streams from any country and streaming service you need. They're easy to use and super-secure. We rate ExpressVPN as the best VPN for streaming.
When & Where is Argentina vs. Mexico Match?
Argentina vs. Mexico will be played in the Lusail Iconic Stadium -- Lusail, Qatar
What time and date will the FIFA World Cup 2022 Argentina vs. Mexico match are played?
The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 match Argentina vs. Mexico match will be played in the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar. On Sunday - 27 November at 1:00 AM IST.
Argentina vs. Mexico lineups: FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
Argentina projected lineup vs Mexico (4-3-3, right to left): 23. E. Martinez (GK) — 26. Molina, 13. Romero, 19. Otamendi, 3. Tagliafico — 7. De Paul, 5. Paredes, 17. Gomez — 10. Messi, 22. Martinez, 11. Di Maria
Mexico projected lineup vs Argentina (4-3-3, right to left): 13. Ochoa (GK) — 19. Sanchez, 3. Montes, 15. Moreno, 23.Gallardo — 16. Herrera, 4. Alvarez, 24. Chavez — 22. Lozano, 20. Martin, 10. Vega ons since losing 2-0 to Brazil in the Copa America 2019.
Argentina vs. Mexico Head-to-Head Record
The stage is set for the clash between two footballing giants, Argentina and Mexico in the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. They both are drawn in Group C and will be looking to register their first win at this world cup.
Argentina wins: 16
Mexico wins: 5
Draws: 14
Argentina goals: 57
Mexico goals: 34
Prediction: Argentina vs Mexico
After looking to recent matches stats and team performances As per Shiva sports news expert prediction for today’s 26th November FIFA World Cup game Argentina are upper hand as they have 65 percent winning chances over to Mexico line up.
US earns respect at World Cup, but wins remain elusive
Respect achieved. Wins await.
American players wanted more than a 0-0 draw with England on Friday night, likely the most-watched match of their lives.
The U.S. shut out a European opponent in the World Cup for the first time since 1950 yet left the tent-like stadium in the Arabian desert knowing a win in Tuesday’s politically charged matchup with Iran is a must to reach the knockout stage.
“We dominated the game. We had the more clear-cut chances. Obviously, it sucks that we couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net,” said midfielder Weston McKennie, standing out with red, white and blue streaks in his hair. “There’s a lot of people that obviously thought we were going to get blown out.”
Read more: US frustrate England again at a World Cup in 0-0 draw
The British tabloid The Sun ran a headline calling the result “Yawn in the USA.” England supporters booed loudly at the final whistle and American fans cheered.
“I guess that’s a positive sign,” U.S. star Christian Pulisic said. “Back home watching, I hope we made a lot of people proud.”
Playing before what figured to be a huge Black Friday television audience, the former Colonies remained unbeaten in three World Cup matches against Ye Olde Country, a run that includes the famous 1-0 upset at Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in 1950 and the 1-1 draw at Rustenberg, South Africa, in 2010. The U.S. had conceded goals in 19 consecutive Cup matches against European opponents until Matt Turner matched Frank Borghi’s clean sheet of 72 years earlier.
American fans outcheered England supporters, too, including a cheeky serenade of “It’s called soccer!” in the 40th minute.
“Now I’ll go back and I don’t think my Leeds teammates can say anything with all the banter they were saying before,” midfielder Brenden Aaronson said. “I think it does show that were going to get respect out of this game.”
In 2010, England dominated 14-10 in shots and 6-4 in corner kicks. This time the U.S., using five starters from Premier League clubs, led 10-8 in shots and 7-3 in corners.
Read more: Southgate reminds England it hasn’t beaten US at World Cup
McKennie had the best U.S. chance, putting an open 9-yard attempt wide from Tim Weah’s cross in the 26th minute. Seven minutes later, Pulisic bent a shot with his weaker left foot around Kieran Trippier and Bukayo Saka, and the ball glanced off a fingertip of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and against the crossbar.
England’s best opportunity came in second-half stoppage time, when Harry Kane sliced a header wide from Luke Shaw’s free kick.
The U.S. wore blue tie-dyed uniforms in Bayt Stadium, which has a tent-shaped roof with an underside in a red-and-black carpet pattern. The interior is filled with the sadu pattern of the Bedouin.
Coach Gregg Berhalter made just one change from the 1-1 draw against Wales, replacing forward Josh Sargent with Haji Wright in just his fifth international appearance. Usually wedded to a 4-3-3 formation, Berhalter switched to a 4-4-2 that was first practiced Wednesday, according to Aaronson, who referred to it as an “amoeba.”
“Regarding changing the way the world views American soccer, we’re chipping away at it, and you need games like tonight to be able to do that,” Berhalter said. “I talked before the World Cup about how seriously the team is taking, the staff is taking this responsibility to gain momentum in this sport in America, and good performances will do that. We want to capture the public’s attention. We want to perform at a high level. We want to give them something to be proud of, and a night like tonight helps, but there has to be more to come.”
Still, the U.S. has five losses and five draws against European teams at the World Cup since beating Portugal in 2002. Looking ahead to the Iran match likely will be the huge topic of Saturday’s Thanksgiving dinner with players, family and friends.
Iran upset the U.S. 2-1 at Lyon, France, in the second game of the 1998 World Cup, eliminating the Americans. Team Melli is coming off Friday’s 2-0 upset of Wales and would advance with a win, or with a tie if Wales fails to beat England.
“All we can ask for is to have destiny in our own hands,” Turner said, “and we have that.”
World Cup fans put off by prices, beer limits commute by air
Travel at this World Cup was supposed to be easy in the tiny host nation of Qatar, after fans had to take long flights between cities at the last three tournaments.
The eight stadiums in Qatar are in or near the capital, so fans don’t have to go too far to get to matches — in theory. The country billed its World Cup as environmentally sustainable in part because of how compact it is, but the reality is quite different.
Tens of thousands of foreign fans are turning to shuttle flights between Doha and neighboring Dubai for a number of reasons — high hotel prices, a scarcity of accommodation and alcohol limits.
It might sound extreme, expensive and environmentally questionable, but the daily flights have become a popular choice as fans opt to sleep somewhere other than Qatar.
Dubai, the freewheeling commercial capital of the United Arab Emirates, is the region’s top destination outside Doha. State airlines like FlyDubai, the emirate’s budget carrier, are marshaling resources, operating 10 times the number of usual flights to Doha.
Neighboring Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia also have organized air shuttles to cash in on the World Cup tourism boom. Every few minutes, a Boeing or Airbus rumbles overhead Doha’s old airport.
The concept of air shuttles isn’t new to the Gulf, where many who live and work in ultraconservative Saudi Arabia or dry Kuwait hop over to Dubai for the weekend to drink freely and have fun in the glittering metropolis.
Unlike fans who had to take long-distance flights at the World Cups in South Africa (2010), Brazil (2014) and Russia (2018), the Dubai-Doha route is shorter in most cases.
But short flights, often defined as trips shorter than 500 kilometers (311 miles), are more polluting than long ones per person for every kilometer traveled because of how much fuel is used for take off and landing.
Read more: Qatar World Cup: No alcohol sales permitted at stadiums
More than a dozen World Cup fans interviewed Thursday who chose to stay in neighboring countries said it came down to cost. Many couldn’t find an affordable place to sleep in Doha, or any place at all. As hotel prices soared in the months leading up to the tournament, frugal fans scrambled for spots in Qatar’s far-flung fan villages filled with canvas tents or shipping containers.
“We wanted to stay for five days in Doha. But it was too expensive. We didn’t want those weird fan zones,” said Ana Santos, a Brazilian fan arriving at Doha’s airport on Thursday with her husband.
“In Dubai, we found a fancy hotel for not too much money. ... The flights are so crowded so we’re not the only ones.”
After eight years of lying idle, Doha’s former airport is back to life as thousands of shuttle flight passengers squeeze through its halls. On Thursday, Qataris in traditional dress passed out juicy dates and Arabic coffee to arriving fans who cheered and snapped photos while draped in their national flags.
Other fans on shuttle flights were turned off by Qatar’s alcohol restrictions. The city’s few hotels are almost the only places allowed to serve alcohol, after a last-minute ban on beer in stadiums. Doha’s sole liquor store is open only to Qatari residents with an official permit.
Meanwhile Dubai’s pulsing nightclubs, pubs, bars and other tourist spots are awash with spirits — and at lower prices than in Doha, where a single beer goes for $14 at the official fan festival. Even in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates’ more conservative capital, tourists can buy alcohol at liquor stores without a license.
“We want to have a Dubai experience. That’s more interesting for us,” said Bernard Boatengh Duah, a doctor from western Ghana who bought an all-inclusive Dubai hotel package that gives him match-day flights, as well as unlimited food and alcohol. “We wanted more freedom.”
Many fans described the shuttles as a fairly seamless process — arriving at the Dubai airport less than an hour before takeoff, zipping through lines without luggage and flying for about 50 minutes before landing in Doha just in time for their game.
But others found it stressful and draining.
“These are long days. It’s exhausting,” said Steven Carroll, a lab technician from Wales, whose flight back to Dubai was delayed an hour, returning him to his Dubai hotel worn-out at 4.a.m after a 24-hour day.
“The problem is you have to arrive in Qatar a good while before the match and you have to allow even more time to go through the airport.”
Fernando Moya, a 65-year-old Ecuador fan from New York, said he regretted flying in from Abu Dhabi. A technical problem with his friends’ Hayya cards, which act as Qatar entry visas, stranded his companions in the UAE capital.
Read more: FIFA World Cup begins with host Qatar facing Ecuador
Moya spent his Thursday speaking to customer service in the Doha airport and shelled out nearly $2,000 to fly them over on a new flight.
“The logistics of this whole system are very complicated for people,” he said.
The airport on Thursday was teeming with fans from Saudi Arabia, whose citizens have bought more World Cup tickets than any other nationality after Qatar and the Untied States. The Saudi team’s shock victory over Argentina this week stoked even more excitement. Riyadh, an aspiring tourism destination, has sought to benefit from the regional boost, offering those with Hayya cards two-month visas to the kingdom. Saudi student Nawaf Mohammed said World Cup fever in Riyadh is palpable, with more Westerners visible in the capital’s airport and carnivals.
The prospect of shuttle flights from the UAE or Saudi Arabia would have been unthinkable mere years ago. In 2017, the two Gulf Arab states, along with Bahrain and Egypt, imposed a boycott on energy-rich Qatar, cutting off trade and travel links over the emirate’s support for political Islam and ties with Iran. Qatar refused to back down and the embargo ended last year.
Even so, tensions linger. Bahrain, just a 45-minute flight from Doha, continues to squabble over politics and maritime borders with Qatar. Fans sleeping in the island kingdom enjoy no such easy flights.
Eyad Mohammed, who chose to stay at a beach in Bahrain, had a layover in eastern Saudi Arabia on Thursday.
“This region is not always convenient,” he said.
BPL 2023: All Teams Squad, Captain, Players List details
The ninth season of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) will begin in the first week of January 2023. In the meantime, the player draft has been completed on November 23. Before the draft, however, the franchises started to organize the team. The teams already recruited cricketers through direct signing before the draft. Many local and foreign cricketers have got teams through direct signup. The rest of the listed players were left out for the draft. Let’s see the detailed BPL draft 2023 and know the players' names according to their teams.
BPL 2023: Players Category and Salaries
Table: Salary range of BPL players under different categories
Player Category
Base Salary (Taka)
A
80 lakh
B
50 lakh
C
30 lakh
D
20 lakh
E
15 lakh
F
10 lakh
G
5 lakh
This year player has been categorized into seven categories from ‘A’ to ‘G’. ‘A’ category players will get 80 lakh taka this season. The BPL 2023 salary for ‘B’ category players is 50 lakh taka. Remuneration in the 'C', 'D', 'E', 'F' and 'G' categories is 30, 20, 15, 10 and 5 lakhs respectively.
Read More: BPL: From “world’s second-best” to “best domestic” league
BPL 2023 Draft: Teams and Signed Player List
The BPL players' draft was held on Wednesday, November 23 in an elite hotel in Dhaka. There are seven franchises in 2023 BPL. The seven teams are Dhaka Dominators, Chattogram Challengers, Comilla Victorians, Fortune Barishal, Khulna Tigers, Sylhet Strikers, and Rangpur Riders. More than 300 players were auctioned from home and abroad, while 137 players were sold.
Each team bought more than 15-22 players. While most of the players were sold during the draft some top ranked players such as Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza, Tamim Iqbal, Mustafizur Rahman, and more were signed directly.
However, some top performers from previous tournaments did not get any team. Among them Ashraful and Mominul Islam were notable. Young opening batter Tanjid Hasan Tamim was also on this list.
Dhaka Dominators
Table: Player list of Dhaka Dominators in BPL 2023
Players from Direct Contract
Taskin Ahmed, Chamika Karunaratne (Sri Lanka), Dilshan Munaweera (Sri Lanka)
Bangladeshi Players from Draft
Mohammad Mithun, Soumya Sarkar, Shoriful Islam, Arafat Sunny, Nasir Hossain, Al Amin Hossain, Shan Masood, Ahmad Shahzad, Alok Kapali, Monir Hossain Khan, Ariful Haque, Salman Irshad, Muktar Ali, Mizanur Rahman, Delwar Hossain
Foreign Players from Draft
Shan Masood, Ahmed Shehzad (Pakistan), Usman Ghani (Afghanistan), Salman Ershad.
Dhaka Dominators bought a total of 22 players and three of them were foreign players. Among these players Taskin, Chamika Karunaratne and Dilshan Munaweera were signed directly due to their recent performance Asia Cup and World Cup.
Read More: 7 local cricketers get direct contracts in 2023 BPL
Chattogram Challengers
Table: Player list of Chattogram Challengers in BPL 2023
Players from Direct Contract
Afif Hussain, Biswa Fernando (Sri Lanka), Ashan Priyanjan (Sri Lanka), Curtis Camper (Ireland).
Bangladeshi Players from Draft
Mritunjoy Chowdhury, Shubhagat Hom Chowdhury, Mehdi Hasan Rana, Irfan Sukkur, Mehdi Maruf, Ziaur Rahman, Taijul Islam, Abu Zayed Rahi, Farhad Reza, Taufiq Khan Tushar
Foreign Players from Draft
Max O’Dowd (Netherlands), Open Moon (India/USA)
Chattogram Challengers has arranged their team with 16 players and they kept five foreign players in tehir squad. Among all these players Afif Hussian is a star player for the team and it is expected that he will give his best for the team.
Comilla Victorians
Table: Player list of Comilla Victorians in 2023
Players from Direct Contract
Mostafizur Rahman, Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan), Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan), Hasan Ali (Pakistan), Khushdil Shah (Pakistan), Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan), Abrar Ahmed (Pakistan).
Bangladeshi Players from Draft
Liton Kumar Das, Mosaddek Hossain Saikat, Tanveer Islam, Imrul Kayes, Ashikuzzaman, Zaker Ali Anik, Saikat Ali, Abu Hyder Roni, Naeem Hasan, Mukidul Islam impressed.
Foreign Players from Draft
Shaun Williams (Zimbabwe), Chadwick Walton (West Indies).
3 times BPL winner Comilla Victorians seem to spend a huge amount of money this season as they have bought most star players including Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Nabi, and Mostafizur Rahman. They have 19 players on their team with 7 foreign players.
Read More: BPL 2023: Mahmudullah in Barishal, Mushfiqur in Sylhet
Fortune Barishal
Table: Player list of Fortune Barishal in BPL 2023
Players from Direct Contract
Shakib Al Hasan, Iftekhar Ahmed (Pakistan), Mohammad Wasim Jr (Pakistan), Ibrahim Zadran (Afghanistan), Karim Janat (Afghanistan), Omar Qadir (Pakistan), Rahkeem Cornwell (West Indies), Kesrick Williams (West Indies ), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghanistan).
Bangladeshi Players from Draft
Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehdi Hasan Miraj, Ibadat Hossain, Enamul Haque Vijay, Kamrul Islam Rabi, Fazle Mahmud Rabi, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Saif Hasan, Kazi Anik, Sanjamul Islam, Salman Hossain.
Foreign Players from Draft
Haider Ali (Pakistan), Chaturanga de Silva (Sri Lanka).
Fortune Barishal has yet to win a BPL cup, but it seems in 2023 they have a strong wish to win it. From Shakib Al Hasan to Mahmudullah Riyad, they have made a team with a mix of experienced and young players consisting of 22 cricketers. Among them, 10 players are from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and West Indies.
Khulna Tigers
Table: Player list of Khulna Tigers in BPL 2023
Players from Direct Contract
Tamim Iqbal, Abiska Fernando (Sri Lanka), Wahab Riaz (Pakistan), Naseem Shah (Pakistan), Azam Khan (Pakistan).
Bangladeshi Players from Draft
Mohammad Saifuddin, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Nasum Ahmed, Nahidul Islam, Munim Shahriar, Sabbir Rahman, Shafiqul Islam, Pritam Kumar, Habibur Rahman Sohan, Mahmudul Hasan Joy.
Foreign Players from Draft
Dasun Shanaka (Sri Lanka), Paul Mikrin (Sri Lanka).
Registered in 2012, previously known as Khulna Titans, the franchise is yet to win a tournament. This year they have created a team with 11 Bangladeshi players and 6 foreign players. Tamim Iqbal is the captain of the Khulna Tigers.
Read More: BPL 2023: What Mashrafe, Perara and Amir can bring to Sylhet Strikers
Sylhet Strikers
Table: Player list of Sylhet Strikers in BPL 2023
Players from Direct Contract
Mashrafe bin Mortaza, Mohammad Amir (Pakistan), Mohammad Haris (Pakistan), Ryan Burl (Zimbabwe), Kamindu Mendis (Sri Lanka), Dhananjaya de Silva (Sri Lanka), Thisara Perera (Sri Lanka).
Bangladeshi Players from Draft
Mushfiqur Rahim, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Rezaur Rahman Raja, Nabeel Samad, Tauhid Hriday, Rubel Hossain, Zakir Hasan, Nazmul Islam Apu, Akbar Ali, Mohammad Sharifullah, Tanjim Hasan Shakib.
Foreign Players from Draft
Tom Moores, Gulbdin Naib
Founded in 2012, this franchise has changed its name 7 times in the last 10 years and will be known as Sylhet Strikers in the 2023 to 2025 season. They made 20 man squad keeping Mashrafe bin Mortaza as the captain. However, they have spent most of their money on foreign players.
Rangpur Riders
Table: Player list of Rangpur Riders in BPL 2023
Players from Direct Contract
Nurul Hasan Sohan, Shoaib Malik (Pakistan), Pathum Nishanka (Sri Lanka), Haris Rauf (Pakistan), Mohammad Nawaz (Pakistan), Jeffrey Vandersee (Sri Lanka), Sikandar Raja (Zimbabwe).
Bangladeshi Players from Draft
Sheikh Mehdi Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Naeem Sheikh, Rakibul Hasan, Shamim Patwari, Ripon Mondal, Roni Talukder, Parvez Hussain Imon, Rabiul Haque, Alauddin Babu.
Foreign Players from Draft
Azmatullah Omurzai (Afghanistan), Aaron Jones (USA).
Won the 5th edition of BPL by defeating Dhaka Dynamites in the final, Rangpur Raiders emphasized spending for the top-level foreign player and middle-range Bangladeshi players. They have bought a total of 19 players including 7 foreign players.
Read More: BPL 2023: Syhet Strikers ropes in Mashrafe, Amir, Perera
Final Words
According to BPL 2023 draft, the seven teams have spent approximately 22 crore taka on Bangladeshi and foreign players. Among them, Barishal has spent more money. If everything goes well, the ninth season of BPL will start on January 5, 2023, and will end on February 16. The tenth season of BPL will start on January 6 next year and will continue till February 17. BPL 2025 will be from January 1 to February 11.
US frustrate England again at a World Cup in 0-0 draw
The United States frustrated England in a 0-0 draw on Friday for its second consecutive tie in the World Cup.
The result might not match the U.S.’ famous 1-0 win from the 1950 tournament, but it was the latest occasion in which the Americans have defied the odds against the Three Lions.
England is still waiting for its first win in three World Cup matches against the U.S. after a 1-1 draw in South Africa in 2010.
READ: Host Qatar eliminated from World Cup
The U.S. came close to recording a second victory over England at a World Cup after creating several scoring chances, including a first-half shot by Christian Pulisic that smashed the crossbar.
Weston McKennie also fired over from just eight yards out.
READ: Valencia scores World Cup-best third goal in Ecuador draw
Harry Kane missed a stoppage time header for England.
England knew victory would guarantee progress to the knockout stages, but a draw still keeps it at the top of Group B with four points. The U.S. is third with two points and needs a win against Iran on Tuesday to advance.
Host Qatar eliminated from World Cup
The show is over already for the Qatar team, which was eliminated Friday from the World Cup less than a week after it opened the tournament and launched the first version of soccer’s biggest event in the Middle East.
Qatar lost 3-1 to Senegal for its second straight defeat at the World Cup and its exit was confirmed a few hours later, when Netherlands and Ecuador drew 1-1 in the other Group A game.
Becoming the quickest host nation team to depart the tournament in the 92-year history of the World Cup, Qatar can’t qualify for the last 16 no matter what happens in its last game against Netherlands.
South Africa had been the only other home team to fail to make it out the group stage in 2010 — but it at least managed a win and a draw.
“If you expected us to go very far in this tournament, then it will be a disappointment,” Qatar coach Félix Sánchez said before his team was officially out. “Our goal was to be competitive.”
The writing was on the wall from the very start for Qatar. The team may be the 2019 Asian champion, but looked nervous and was overwhelmed in the 2-0 loss to Ecuador last Sunday straight after a glittering opening ceremony put on by the wealthy Gulf emirate and meant to showcase it to the world.
READ: Messi, Argentina under pressure for Mexico game at World Cup
Friday’s performance by Qatar was a little, but not much better for a squad that all plays in the local league and is missing the kind of top talent that is present in almost every World Cup team now.
Qatar at least scored this time, a second-half header by substitute Mohammed Muntari, a Ghanaian-born striker who is one of many in the squad born outside Qatar but brought in to boost its chances at the World Cup. At 2-1, Qatar threatened a comeback against the African champion for just six minutes before Bamba Dieng responded to hit home Senegal’s third goal and reestablish a two-goal cushion.
Senegal got its campaign back on track after losing its opener to Netherlands. Coach Aliou Cissé was also pleased that three forwards, Boulaye Dia, Famara Diedhiou and Dieng, got on the scoresheet as Senegal has its own challenge at this World Cup: Filling the chasm left by the pre-tournament injury to Sadio Mané.
Cissé had instructed his remaining forwards to to step it up before playing the host at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha. They responded.
“Yes, we understood the message loud and clear,” Dia said. “Efficiency efficiency, efficiency. You need to get in front of the goal and you need to score.”
Qatar had never qualified for the World Cup before FIFA’s highly-contentious decision in 2010 to give it the tournament. That gave its team automatic entry. But although the oil- and gas-rich nation spent around $220 billion of its vast riches on building stadiums, roads and even a new city for the World Cup, it couldn’t put together a solid defense for the team.
Qatar fell behind against Senegal after an amateurish mistake by central defender Boualem Khoukhi, who tried to make a clearance under no pressure, didn’t connect properly and landed on his backside. The ball dribbled away from Khoukhi and Dia lashed it in for his first World Cup goal.
Diedhiou made it 2-0 at the start of the second half with a header from a corner while two Qatar defenders failed to stop him.
Read: Neymar to miss Brazil’s second World Cup match due to injury
Qatar did get a stroke of bad luck when it was denied a penalty and the chance of the lead before Dia’s goal. Akram Afif, who was born in Doha, was knocked over by a charging Ismaila Sarr but referee Antonio Mateu of Spain didn’t award a penalty even though replays suggested that contact was made.
“We have to forget about today, move on and play the Netherlands,” Sánchez said.
A WAVE (GOODBYE?) FOR QATAR
As Qatar rallied for a little while in the second half, the white-robed Qatar supporters did try and get behind their team.
Thousands of home fans walked out halfway through Qatar’s first loss to Ecuador, but they stayed against Senegal and even broke out into the wave around the stadium. It turned out to be more of a wave farewell from the World Cup.
Senegal came closer to adjusting to life in Qatar without Mané, with those three forwards on the scoresheet.
“It’s very difficult to replace a player like Sadio Mane but football is a team sport,” Senegal coach Cissé said.
Also important for Senegal, goalkeeper Edouard Mendy made two world-class saves to suggest a return to some form after he was blamed for both goals in the 2-0 loss to the Dutch.
WHAT’S NEXT
Qatar bows out against Netherlands on Tuesday. Senegal isn’t out of trouble yet and will face Ecuador on the same day with both playing for a place in the last 16.
Valencia scores World Cup-best third goal in Ecuador draw
Inspired by captain Énner Valencia, Ecuador impressed again at the World Cup on Friday in a 1-1 draw with favored Netherlands in a game La Tri deserved to win.
Valencia has become a talisman on the biggest stage and his 49th-minute leveler against the Dutch made him the top scorer at this World Cup with his third goal in Qatar.
It also extended the 33-year-old veteran’s streak to scoring all six Ecuador goals at World Cups since the 2014 tournament.
The result eliminated host nation Qatar just five days after the start of its home World Cup that cost about $200 billion to prepare.
READ: FIFA World Cup: Neymar in tears after injury against Serbia
The draw gave both the Dutch and Ecuador one point apiece to move them to four points in Group A. It left Qatar with zero points after losing 3-1 to Senegal hours earlier.
Ecuador dominated much of the game after Cody Gakpo fired the Dutch into a sixth-minute lead with a rising shot from the edge of the penalty area. It was the fastest goal scored so far in Qatar.
Ecuador leveled when Valencia passed the ball into an empty net after Pervis Estupiñán’s shot was pushed away by goalkeeper Andries Noppert
Almost the entire Ecuador squad joined their inspirational captain in a collective goal celebration. It created a powerful image of unity by kneeling together in a circle pointing to the night sky at Khalifa International Stadium.
Ecuador almost got a deserved winning goal minutes later when the Netherlands crossbar was rattled by a rising left-foot shot from Gonzalo Plata.
Ecuador plays Senegal on Tuesday, needing just a draw to advance, and the Netherlands will play Qatar.
Ecuador may have to do it without Valencia. He was stretchered off the field in the 90th minute. He was able to get up and walk the bench, where a bag of ice was taped to his right leg.
The Dutch managed their first-half lead efficiently without having another attempt on goal before Ecuador players were angered by a possible leveler being disallowed in stoppage time.
READ: FIFA World Cup: Richarlison's second-half brace give Brazil 2-0 win over Serbia
When Estupiñán deflected the ball into the net swept through a crowded goalmouth, the judgment was goalkeeper Noppert’s view of the original shot was blocked by Jackson Porozo standing offside.
Estupiñán was involved again in the valid goal that capitalized on ragged play throughout the Netherlands defense, after Noppert was almost caught in possession clearing the ball weakly.
SHUTOUT STREAK
Until Gakpo’s goal, Ecuador had not conceded a goal in more than 11 hours’ play, including seven clean sheets, since March when Argentina scored in a World Cup qualifying game that ended 1-1.
WINNING STREAK
Netherlands had its seven-game win streak in group-stage play at World Cups ended. The Dutch through the first three games in 2010 and 2014 then opened in Qatar by beating Senegal 2-0.