The best group games at the 2022 World Cup
As we approach the end of the 2022 World Cup, excitement is building towards the knockout rounds. It seems as though the group stages flew by, with a mixture of upsets, thrashings and great goals helping many forget about the various controversies going into the Qatar competition.
Indeed, fans were reminded just how momentous the World Cup is, and while the prospect of a winter tournament felt foreign at first, fans have adjusted and continued to show support, checking online football betting odds with the heating on at home rather than the traditional summer beer garden.
With hosts France starting in style and the Germans stuttering, there’s plenty to dissect. With that in mind, read on as we look at the best group games of the 2022 World Cup.
Spain 7-0 Costa Rica
Kicking things off with a drubbing that not many of us expected. When Luis Enrique left the likes of Sergio Ramos and Thiago out of the Spain squad, not many had high hopes for the 2010 champions, but this young group of players showed their worth in the opening group game with a 7-0 thrashing of Costa Rica.
Keylor Navas, one of the stars of the last two tournaments, was helpless to stop Dani Olmo’s opener, and by the time Marco Asensio had doubled his side’s lead, Ferran Torres added a third to put the game beyond doubt. The Barcelona man’s brace, alongside goals from Gavi, Carlos Soler and Alvaro Morata added salt to the wounds and set Spain up in style.
Saudi Arabia 2-1 Argentina
Perhaps up there with one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history, Saudi Arabia’s win over Argentina is one for the record books. Lionel Messi and co had been unbeaten in their last 36 international fixtures, and looked likely to extend that when the little magician scored from the spot in the ninth minute. The South Americans would put the ball in the net a further four times before the interval but the linesman correctly ruled out Lautaro Martinez on each occasion.
Saudi coach Herve Renard rallied the troops at half time and with goals from Saleh Al-Shehri and Salem Al-Dawsari gave them an unlikely lead. Despite Argentina piling on the pressure, an inspired effort from the underdogs defence gave them something to hold on to, and even the nine minutes added time couldn’t stop the Saudis, who earnt the nation a public holiday with their courageous victory.
Serbia 3-3 Cameroon
With the group stages developing a reputation for lacking goals, this surprise package between Serbia and Cameroon ended the second round of games in style. Both sides had been unfortunate to lose their opening matches, but when Cameroon took the lead in the 29th minute, they will have been frustrated to have thrown it away by conceding two goals in two minutes of first-half injury time — Strahinja Pavlović and Sergej Milinković-Savić getting on the scoresheet with two well taken finishes.
Cameroon weren’t done yet though. In an inspired fightback, Vincent Aboubakar scored a delicious chip before Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo lashed the ball across goal for Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting to draw level from close range. Aleksander Mitrovic had a chance to win his side the game at 3-3 but the Fulham forward chose to take it himself rather than cut the ball back, firing a tame effort at Cameron’s second-choice keeper Devis Epassy.
