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Australia 1-0 Denmark (Leckie 61′)

AL JANOUB STADIUM — The last and only other time Australia qualified for the knockout stages of the World Cup they had a stellar lineup very much worthy of the grandest stage.

Harry Kewell, Tim Cahill, Mark Schwarzer, Lucas Neill and Mark Viduka were all at the peak of their powers in 2006, playing in the Premier League, and helped their national team book a last-16 clash with Italy in Germany, which they only narrowly lost 1-0 to eventual champions Italy.

Fast forward to their next big chance to get World Cup knockout stages, up against Euro 2020 semi-finalists Denmark in their final group match in Qatar, and a team whose recognisable names to European football followers consists of Celtic midfielder Aaron Mooy and former Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan, and that is about it, were almighty underdogs to progress.

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But one of the most unfancied nations at the tournament, whose own supporters had zero expectations coming into the World Cup after needing penalties to beat Peru in their qualification play-off, have done it. Not even the most optimistic of Aussies can believe the golden generation from 2006 have been equalled.

The authorities must have been anticipating some form of riot from the hordes of Australians in flip-flops given the soundtrack to the walk to the bizarrely-shaped Al Janoub Stadium was drowned out by a police helicopter hovering overhead.

But scenes similar to a Merseyside or Manchester derby did not transpire when the crucial encounter got underway, which is a shame, as it would have left a talking point from the first half that constituted a well-saved Mathias Jensen effort and little else.

The goal that saw Australia through to the World Cup last-16 for the first time since 2006. #BBCWorldCup #BBCFootball #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/ckZYBtvW9e

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) November 30, 2022

The concerns for Denmark were there before kick-off, as their only goal at the tournament prior to their must-win clash with the Aussies came via the head of defender Andreas Christensen, assisted by another defender.

Their strikeforce have mustered five goals between them in domestic club football so far this campaign – hardly form to ruffle any golden feathers.

A goal for Tunisia across Doha meant Australia needed to score, but where was the goal going to come from? Their best forward option, Hibernian striker Martin Boyle, was resting up at home, but cometh the hour, cometh Mathew Leckie.

The pass from Middlesbrough’s Riley McGree was inch-perfect, but the goal was all down to Leckie’s ingenuity, twisting and turning before finding the bottom corner.

Denmark never looked like getting back into it, meaning a nation watching back home in the middle of the night could see their dreams fulfilled in relative comfort.

Waltzing Matilda has never sounded so good.

Scenes in @FedSquare after the #Socceroos goal! #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/CRZKqIvQak

— SBS Sport (@SBSSportau) November 30, 2022

Report: Tunisia 1-0 France

By Mark Douglas, i‘s Northern Football Correspondent

EDUCATION CITY STADIUM – Wahbi Khazri sat slumped on the bench, barely able to watch through his fingers. Around him, Tunisia teammates crowded around a smartphone pulled from the pocket of a member of the backroom staff to watch events unfold on the other side of the city.

This was the World Cup turning into the final day of the EFL season for a few minutes, a single kick potentially altering destiny while thousands suffered through it in the stands. As it turned out, Tunisia’s stunning win against world champions France wasn’t quite enough on a nail-biting night in Doha.

It made for great drama and on the day it was claimed Fifa were considering introducing penalty kicks in the group stages of the next World Cup to earn bonus points, provided plenty of food for thought. Given everything that has unfolded over the last fortnight here in Qatar, we should not be surprised by anything Fifa does but messing with a format that can provide such ready-made TV drama would represent yet another own goal from world football’s governing body.

Tunisia might have been knocked out of the #FIFAWorldCup

But what a historic moment for them as their first goal of the tournament beats the reigning world champions #BBCFootball #BBCWorldCup pic.twitter.com/1ouGFz3G12

— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) November 30, 2022

France march on, then, but with momentum checked. Didier Deschamps learned little in Education City, other than his understudies are not yet ready to take centre stage.

Youssouf Fofana struggled to gain a foothold in the midfield battle while Real Madrid’s precocious Eduardo Camavinga got stage fright.

Deschamps made nine changes and even when he summoned Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann from the bench for the final quarter of the match, there was a real lack of fluency that was exploited by fired-up opponents.

“The objective for us was to give the players playing time. I didn’t want anyone to have any injuries, Kounde was sitting on a booking, so I know that maybe they don’t have the same reflexes as the veterans but now they understand how demanding World Cup football is,” he said.

“I’m not stressed, I’m very relaxed. We will see whether we pay the price in four days’ time.”

Mbappe made one trademark burst into the box only for Aymen Dahmen to pull off a fantastic save. Griezmann thought he’d volleyed the world champions level, only for a long-delayed VAR call to rule it out. That was pretty much the sum total of their attacking contribution.

Tunisia, by contrast, were terrific and fantastic value for the slaloming Khazri goal that gave them the briefest of hope of a first ever appearance in the round of 16. Their raucous support sensed history but the decibel levels were turned down as news of Australia’s goal against Denmark filtered through.

Head coach Jalel Kadri was left to regret one bad half of football that had cost his team.

“Yesterday I said nothing is impossible. We have been able to beat the world champions,” he said. He was asked twice in the press conference about his future, which seemed harsh given they had so narrowly missed out in a group that included France and Denmark.

“It wasn’t easy for us to collect four points. Unfortunately we are leaving the World Cup but we’ve been able to play with a lot of honour and pride,” he said.

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The World Cup group stages are drawing to a close, with Groups C and D being decided today.

England secured their place in the last 16 of the World Cup after beating Wales 3-0 on Tuesday night.

They will play Senegal after the African side’s dramatic victory over Ecuador earlier on Tuesday.

The Netherlands and USA also confirmed qualification on Tuesday thanks to wins over Qatar and Iran respectively.

France, who take on Tunisia this afternoon, only needed two games to secure their last 16 spot, after beating both Australia and Denmark.

Here’s how to watch the World Cup holders in action today.

What time is Tunisia vs France on?

Tunisia vs France kicks off at 3pm at Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.

The game will be shown on BBC One, with coverage starting at 2.30pm. Robyn Cowen and Martin Keown are on commentary duties.

The entire 2022 World Cup is being broadcast on free-to-air television in the UK, with the BBC and ITV sharing the rights.

All matches are therefore also available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer or the new ITVX streaming platform.

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What can we expect from Tunisia vs France?

France may choose to rest some players with their place in the last 16 already secured.

Tunisia will hope their minds are already on the knockout stages, as they must win to stand a chance of progressing.

The French have been one of the best sides at the World Cup so far. They fell behind 1-0 against Australia in their opening fixture before powering back with four unanswered goals, two from Olivier Giroud.

Kylian Mbappe then scored twice, either side of an Andreas Christensen goal, as France beat Denmark in game two.

This is the first ever competitive fixture between France and Tunisia. It is Tunisia’s sixth appearance at the World Cup finals, though they have never previously qualified from the group stage.

What other games are on TV today?

For the final round of fixtures, games in the same group are played at the same time. This is because playing later could give one team an advantage, as they would know exactly what they would need to do to progress to the knockouts.

The final Group D fixtures will be played at 3pm, with both games on the BBC.

Australia vs Denmark is on BBC Two, with coverage starting at 2.45pm from the Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah. Mark Chapman presents, with analysis from Jonathan Pearce and Dion Dublin.

Group C’s final games kick off at 7pm, also on the BBC.

Coverage of Poland vs Argentina starts at 6.30pm on BBC One from Stadium 974 in Doha. Gary Lineker presents, with commentary by Steve Bower and Danny Murphy.

Saudi Arabia vs Mexico at the Lusail Stadium is over on BBC Two, with coverage beginning at 6.45pm.

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DOHA – Fifa insists it has been given assurances by the Supreme Committee that security managers at World Cup stadiums have been ordered not to confiscate rainbow items after yet another day of fans facing harassment and mistreatment in Qatar.

i has been aware that several banners and items of clothing that should, under promises made by the Qatar World Cup organisers and Fifa, have been permitted in stadiums were confiscated on Tuesday.

In one case, an England fan in attendance at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium for the victory against Wales on Tuesday night, which qualified Gareth Southgate’s side for the Last 16 as group winners, had a large England flag with the official three lions symbol in rainbow colours on it taken from him.

i also revealed on Tuesday the horrifying ordeal an England fan faced on entry to the Al Bayt Stadium for Holland’s game against Qatar. Anthony Johnson was wearing a t-shirt with England’s official badge in rainbow colours and rainbow baseball cap. He was taken to a private area and forced to remove all of his clothes in a strip search. A security officials also shouted “You don’t respect our culture” at him.

A Fifa spokesperson told i: “Fifa is aware of some incidents where permitted items were not allowed to be displayed at stadiums. Fifa has received assurances by authorities that venue commanders have been contacted in relation to the agreed rules and regulations for the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022. Fifa continues to work closely with the host country to ensure the full implementation of related regulations and agreed protocols.”

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Despite repeated assurances that everyone would be welcome in the country, from Qatari World Cup and government officials to Fifa representatives, what has taken place during the tournament has in no way reflected this.

Fifa appears to have lost control of its own tournament, with the governing body claiming to have made repeated attempts to urge the Supreme Committee to ensure fans wishing to support the LGBT+ community, via banners and items of clothing and accessories in rainbow colours, are able to.

Many LGBT+ fans in England decided not to travel to Qatar for the tournament, having been unconvinced by assurances from the Football Association and other authorities that they would be safe in a country where same-sex relationships are a criminal offence.

Rainbow items were confiscated from some of the first group games, with Wales supporters having rainbow bucket hats, wristbands and laces removed before they were permitted to the country’s opening game against the USA.

Fifa insisted afterwards that its officials had held talk with counterparts at the Supreme Committee and reminded them of the agreed policy of allowing rainbow items in venues. But almost two weeks into the tournament security officials at stadiums continue to ignore them.

Back in 2020, World Cup chief executive Nasser Al-Khater insisted that the rainbow symbol for gay pride would be welcome. “When it comes to the rainbow flags in the stadiums, Fifa have their own guidelines, they have their rules and regulations,” he said. “Whatever they may be, we will respect them.”

That year, Fifa’s chief social responsibility and education officer Joyce Cook also said: “I’m an openly gay woman in football, so this is personally, to me, something I’m close to as well. We will see a progressive change in all of those aspects and rainbow flags, t-shirts will all be welcome in the stadium — that’s a given. They understand very well that is our stance.”

In March this year, Fifa president Gianni Infantino claimed that “everyone will see that everyone is welcome here in Qatar, even if we speak about LGBTQ”.

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AHMED BIN ALI STADIUM – It started with a “nope” and ended with no hope. The final act of Gareth Bale’s World Cup adventure was desperately cruel but a vivid illustration that time waits for no man – even one whose presence has been so inspirational in the past.

At the cavernous, cool media centre on the outskirts of Doha on Monday afternoon, he had been quick to scotch talk of international retirement with a sharp “nope”. But out on the grass, it felt like time had made the decision for him.

Six years ago his mere presence was enough to spook the living daylights out of England at Euro 2016. But the years beat on for even the best. Seven touches and one completed pass – deep inside his own half – was all he could muster before his night was brought to a premature end at half-time. He wore an expression etched with frustration on the bench but, even allowing for the injury he picked up, it was an act of mercy from Rob Page.

The question now is whether Bale has any place in the substantial rebuild job that faces Wales and Page, if the latter continues in his post.

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Maybe that sounds harsh but Wales’s World Cup was so anaemic that searching questions need to be asked. Both the USA and England are good sides but the manner of the performances, and the acute lack of ambition in all three matches, has been embarrassing for those who travelled in good numbers.

Page admitted himself he messed up the first game against the USA but was at a loss to explain the Iran defeat. A response was expected in the England game, but his tactics and set-up didn’t give Wales a chance of laying a glove on their British rivals.

There’s no doubt that England have a deeper pool of regular Premier League and Champions League starters to select from but Scotland provided a blueprint at the last Euros for how to trouble Gareth Southgate’s men.

And it didn’t involve sitting as deep as Wales did, or selecting three players in Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Joe Allen who were so desperately short of minutes that they always risked England’s sharper, younger engine room running rings around them.

Bale will not want to relinquish the Wales shirt or armband that he cherishes so much but it is the elephant in the room for Page, who has a quick turnaround before Euro 2024 qualifying starts. Wales have a testing group and desperately need to integrate Brennan Johnson and Joe Morrell as starters.

Bale? The future feels more uncertain. He is only 33 but came to this tournament desperately undercooked, partly because of injuries but also because of career calls he had deliberately made. Los Angeles offers him a nice life and a final payday but it is not serious preparation for the demands of the World Cup. Cardiff City might have been.

So Wales leave Qatar with plenty of regrets and a gnawing sense that they did not do themselves justice. Apart from the hosts, it’s difficult to think of a team that performed as consistently poorly as Page’s side. Their excellent support deserved so much more.

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Portugal midfielder Ruben Neves hopes the Italian protester who entered the pitch sporting a rainbow pride flag during his side’s 2-0 World Cup win over Uruguay is shown leniency by the Qatar authorities.

Mario Ferri, or The Falcon as he is known in Italy, ran onto the pitch in the second half in the Lusail Stadium with the flag, wearing a t-shirt that had ‘Save Ukraine’ on the front and ‘Respect Iranian Women’ on the back.

Ferri, known for his pitch invasions back home, chose to take a stand in a tournament where coaches and players have wanted to move on from discussing wider issues in Doha. Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar, with protests against discrimination regularly clamped down on by local authorities at the World Cup.

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“We know what has happened around this World Cup,” Neves said after the match. “It is a normal thing that can happen. Of course, we are all with them and the message on his shirt as well. We hope nothing happens to the boy because we understand his message and I think all the world understood it as well.”

Two goals from Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes secured Portugal a place in the last 16 with one group game to spare, but the main talking point in the match was whether the first goal was in fact Cristiano Ronaldo’s, with the veteran skipper claiming he got a touch on Fernandes’ cross before it found the net.

“I don’t know [who scored it],” Neves added. “I didn’t see the image yet. [Fernandes] said he didn’t know. The most important thing is not who scored for Portugal but how we won the game.

“It’s an amazing feeling. Our main goal was this.”

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Just one of the world’s biggest football clubs being available for sale is pretty uncommon, so two being publicly put on the market at the same time is exceptionally rare.

That is the position arch-rivals Liverpool and Manchester United now find themselves in, though, with the former’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, having admitted they are seeking out potential new owners for the club, while the Glazer family have also revealed that they are open to new investment or a full-blown sale of the latter.

FSG have built a sale prospectus with which to draw in potential buyers, and employed the services of multinational banks Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley to help sound investors out, while the Glazers have partnered with Raine Group to do the same.

Why are Liverpool and Man Utd for sale?

FSG’s ownership of the Reds has been enormously successful, seeing them win every major trophy under manager Jurgen Klopp. United, though, have stagnated and seen diminishing success under the Glazers, who have loaded debt onto the club while paying themselves dividends.

Both sets of Americans appear to have had their interest in cashing in piqued by the sale of Chelsea earlier this year, when a consortium led by investor Todd Boehly paid £2.5bn to purchase the Blues from Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, with a commitment to invest another £1.75bn once the takeover was completed.

That means the value of any top end Premier League club has had a value placed on it, and FSG and the Glazers can use it as a foundation upon which to move forward with a sale – though both will surely seek a higher figure given their respective clubs’ greater international profiles and fanbases. With FSG having paid £300m for Liverpool in 2010 and the Glazers just under £800m for United in increments by 2005, both stand to make an enormous profit on their investments.

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What’s more, the devaluation of the pound means that both FSG and the Glazers may prefer to shift their investments out of the UK and back into the US where the dollar remains more stable.

With the NBA and NFL both set to increase the number of franchisees in their division in the near future, and the prospect of financially challenging state-owned clubs like Manchester City, Newcastle United and Paris Saint-Germain in football becoming more difficult, the idea of shifting from owning a European football club to a new American sports team may appeal more.

While both are inherently similar businesses, there are some key differences. FSG’s investments in Liverpool’s training ground and stadium means a new owner would not need to invest in infrastructure, but many United fans feel Old Trafford has been left in a state of disrepair – so significant capital will be resolved for new owners to rectify various issues.

Yet there are a limited number of prospective owners who could buy or purchase a stake in Liverpool or Manchester United. So who are they, and would a deal really work for them?

Nation states

The first option for fans of both clubs to contend with is the idea that a nation state could purchase them.

That would raise questions surrounding sportswashing, just as has been the case at a number of elite European clubs.

The Abu Dhabi United Group owns the City Football Group with Manchester City their prized asset; PSG are owned by Qatar Sports Investments, a subsidiary of the state-run Qatar Investment Authority; and since November 2021, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has been in charge of Newcastle. All three of those clubs are owned by investment vehicles linked to those respective states.

Last week, the Saudi Arabian sports minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, talked up the possibility of businesses from his country purchasing both clubs, while Bahrain’s Investcorp vehicle entered talks to purchase AC Milan earlier this year before eventually losing out.

The advantages of such a deal for a state looking to sportswash are clear. Their association with one of the two most popular sporting and cultural institutions on the planet would increase their influence around the world and would allow their name to be constantly linked to their success, while investments in sectors including property in the city the club is based can help curry favour with local councils and national governments.

However, previous examples of nation state ownership involve countries purchasing teams which enjoyed at best middling success, before turning them into powerhouses. Abu Dhabi is not just associated with Man City’s success, then, but the club’s journey from the lower reaches of the Premier League to very top of the game.

The “buy low, reap the high rewards later” model would have to be altered significantly for any state wanting to buy a club as expensive as either Liverpool or United. And with most of the Gulf states already in possession of a club, the likelihood is further reduced.

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Individual billionaires

It is of course possible that a solo billionaire could decide that the thrill and fun of owning one of the world’s premier sports teams in enough reason to take the plunge. After all, they have the money, and what else are they spending it on if not a shot at fun and glory?

That was the Abramovich approach to owning Chelsea, after all, and Ineos founder, Jim Ratcliffe, has been linked with United while India’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani, has been touted as a potential Liverpool buyer.

But Chelsea’s precarious financial position at the time meant the Russian didn’t have to shell out billions to make the purchase, and was able to dump the majority of his investment over the years into a scattergun approach in the transfer market.

Some billionaires may be eccentric and prone to making vanity purchases, but the idea of spending the whopping amount it would take to purchase Liverpool or United and then run it alone with little realistic prospect of taking home a profit on that investment any time soon seems to make little sense.

Individual billionaires have become less common purchasers of football clubs over time, as the sheer scale of the money involved has increasingly required multiple wealthy investors.

American consortia

That need for a group of investors is what led to Boehly’s arrival at Chelsea, and plenty presume that the most likely buyer of both Liverpool and United will be more groups of wealthy Americans.

The problem with that, though, is if consortia of Americans have decided that now is the right time to sell Liverpool and United, why would very similar groups of people suddenly decide that now is the right time to buy?

FSG and the Glazer family’s investments have succeeded, from their own point of view, because the value of their businesses have increased exponentially since they were purchased. That is due to financial factors like increased TV rights income, merchandising, sponsorships and advertising.

But those increases are now slowing down. Premier League TV rights income, for instance, appears to be beginning to plateau.

Any American consortium wanting to purchase either club would be doing so in order to make a profit, just like FSG and the Glazers. But while FSG were able to increase the value of Liverpool by around 1,000 per cent in just over a decade, it is hard to see where a huge increase in the value of a club will come from in the next few years.

That is unless new consortium owners would want to return to ideas which were designed to increase the value of big clubs which have already been rejected, like the European Super League clubs and the abolition of the Premier League’s even division of TV rights income among all 20 clubs. Without unpopular changes like that, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of value in a deal for another American consortium.

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Wealthy sports stars

One of the unsuccessful bids when Chelsea were on the market was led by Sir Martin Broughton, the former Liverpool chairman who was part of the process which saw it sold to FSG. Two reported investors in that bid were tennis superstar Serena Williams and record-setting Formula 1 racer Lewis Hamilton.

Back in August, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy unveiled a new tech-focused golf league which has received investment from an array of American financiers, sports stars and celebrities including Williams, Hamilton, Steph Curry, Gareth Bale, Lando Norris and Justin Timberlake.

Hamilton, to take one example, is already a shareholder in the Denver Broncos NFL outfit, while basketball star LeBron James holds shares in FSG itself.

Super wealthy sports stars are increasingly investing their money in long-term sporting projects, which are both designed to increase their fortunes and the value of the businesses they are buying into by having some of the most marketable people in the world associated with them.

Perhaps, then, a group composed of wealthy financiers with the backing of some sports stars could become minority investors in either Liverpool or United, at around 20-30 per cent. The injection of cash would satisfy either set of owners’ desire for investment, while the potential marketing and digital bonus of some of the world’s most famous people being involved is clear.

This is a potential type of deal which could potentially suit FSG, with the group already composed of many different investors with backgrounds across all sorts of different sports – and its relationship with the LA Lakers’ James showing they see a benefit in working with sports’ most famous faces.

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I’m 64 now and I can honestly say that Gareth Bale is the best Welsh footballer of my lifetime.

I say this because he has affected the game more than anyone else we have ever had. He has delivered on numerous occasions and has carried the country on numerous occasions.

In my eyes, he remains the biggest hope of Wales upsetting England, though he needs the players around him playing better. Like Aaron Ramsey, he has taken a lot of stick since Friday’s Iran game.

However, it is not their fault if the team cannot pass the ball under pressure. You cannot say they were the sole problem, as not many Wales players have played well.

People have written Gareth off but who stepped up for that penalty against USA? Yes, he drifts in and out of games but he can do things in a couple of seconds that no one else can do. That is why Rob Page, the Wales manager, will want him on the pitch for 90 minutes against England. You can’t afford to take him off because he can produce that moment of magic at any time.

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The whole team has to play 100 times better than against Iran. So far we’ve had two slow starts. In the first game Wales showed the determination to get out of trouble and claw it back. In the second game they just didn’t get going. Against England they have to start sharply, like they mean business, and they have to make it like their cup final. They have to go out and say, “This is it, this is the last throw of the dice for all of us here.”

They will need grit and determination. They have to show fighting spirit and try to dominate England. Crucially, they have to show they can pass under pressure.

So far, both the USA and Iran have put them under pressure and only against the Americans did they eventually get a grip of the game. Against Iran I’d have liked to see Joe Allen on a bit earlier because of his experience though I say that not knowing his fitness levels. I do think he should start against England.

Does it help that Wayne Hennessey is missing after his red card against Iran? Wayne was doing well but that’s a snapshot of the goalkeeper’s life – one moment of poor judgment spoils everything for you.

In fairness to Danny Ward, his replacement, he has done alright for Wales and has showed patience and a good attitude. He did not have a good start to the season for Leicester but has got some form back and is a good shot-stopper and communicator.

Possible Wales line-ups vs England

• Ward; Mepham, Rodon, B. Davies; Roberts, Ramsey, Ampadu, Wilson, N. Williams; Bale, Moore (3-5-2)
• Ward; Roberts, Mepham, Rodon, B. Davies; Ramsey, Ampadu, Allen; Bale, Moore, Johnson (4-3-3)

Wales are capable of making life hard for England because they have done it before but Rob Page has to make sure the energy levels are sustained throughout the game by putting fresh players on. There are other questions – does he start with Kieffer Moore against Harry Maguire or try to play through them with a smaller, mobile striker up against Maguire? Dan James has pace and skill but his end product is not there at times so I would go with Kieffer as you need a focal point.

If I could make one suggestion to Page it would be to put every cross and set-piece right on top of Jordan Pickford. I would make him make decisions, especially at corners. If Pickford has one weakness, it is when bodies are around him in the box so I would put one man in front of him and one behind him and sling it straight under the crossbar, with Moore standing over him. Get it under the crossbar and make it uncomfortable for him. I always wish him well for Everton but let’s hope he throws one in for England.

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Wales head into the final round of group stages fixtures at the 2022 World Cup with only a slim chance of progressing to the knockout stages, and could need two results to go in their favour if they are to avoid being sent home early from Qatar.

Robert Page’s team are competing in their first World Cup in 64 years, but have struggled to assert themselves so far, taking just a single point from their opening two fixtures.

In their opener against the USA, Wales conceded first as Christian Pulisic played a smart pass through to Timothy Weah inside the penalty area, and the Lille striker slipped a tidy finish past Wayne Hennessey. But Gareth Bale gave the travelling fans a moment they will never forget when he equalised from the penalty spot late in the second half, the Red Wall behind the goal at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium sent into delirium as their talisman crashed his spot kick past Arsenal’s Matt Turner.

That could have been a turning point for Wales, but their performance against Iran in the second round of matches was meek and mediocre. After being fortunate not to concede when an Iran goal was ruled offside in the first half and when the ball hit the woodwork twice in the second, they were eventually punished in stoppage time when first Rouzbeh Cheshmi and then Ramin Rezaeian scored to give Carlos Quiroz’s side the three points.

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How does Group B look?

England’s 6-2 win over Iran and subsequent 0-0 draw with the USA means they top Group B as things stand with four points, while Iran are second with three, the USA are third with two, and Wales are in fourth with their solitary point.

Goal difference could play a role in deciding who progress and who goes home – the World Cup uses goals scored and conceded to sort out teams who are level on points rather than head-to-head record.

How can Wales go through?

Let’s start with the simple part – Wales must beat England if they are to have any chance of going through to the last 16 in Qatar. If they draw or lose, they are going home.

The rest depends on the outcome of Iran vs USA in the other fixture in Group B. If that match ends in a draw, then Wales need to beat England by any score to progress, as they and Iran would both be left on four points, but Wales’ goal difference would be superior.

However, if either Iran or the USA win in their clash, Wales’ task becomes more difficult. An Iran win would take them to six points, while a USA victory would put them on five, putting them out of reach of Wales. So, Wales would need to progress by knocking England out instead. England’s impressive goal difference means that Wales would need to win by at least four goals to go through in that scenario.

How will Wales line up vs England?

Manager Page will not only need to set Wales up with winning in mind, but with the potential to score plenty of goals if that four-goal winning margin is required.

Hennessey’s red card in the latter stages against Iran means Leicester City’s Danny Ward will come in to play in goal, while Joe Allen’s late cameo after returning from injury means he could figure in Page’s plans from the start, and players who have only featured from the bench so far, including Nottingham Forest’s Brennan Johnson, could also come into contention.

Wales have used their regular 3-5-2 system in both matches so far, but after one draw and one defeat, Page could potentially be tempted to switch to a 4-3-3.

Potential Wales line-ups:

• Ward; Mepham, Rodon, B. Davies; Roberts, Ramsey, Ampadu, Wilson, N. Williams; Bale, Moore (3-5-2)
• Ward; Roberts, Mepham, Rodon, B. Davies; Ramsey, Ampadu, Allen; Bale, Moore, Johnson (4-3-3)

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Empty seats filled by hindsight, rules made and changed on a whim, false statements regurgitated repeatedly, fingers pointed elsewhere. Welcome to the Post-Truth World Cup, where anything goes and there’s nothing to see here.

I have been at the World Cup for two weeks now, and while the Metro has run perfectly, the facilities are sublime and the stadia, built on modern slavery, are a wonder to behold, the tournament itself has felt as though Fifa has made it up as they go along.

Where to start? Perhaps the stadiums and attendances. I was at the Lusail Stadium for one of the World Cup’s great upsets, when Saudi Arabia stunned Argentina. Five minutes before kick-off the seats were around a third empty. Around 20 minutes into the match, they had filled up — closer to 90 per cent. It appears to have been a familiar occurrence across the eight stadiums. Who pays all that money for flights, accommodation, tickets, expenses — and Doha is not cheap to visit — and decides to sack off the first 20 minutes of a game?

The official attendance for Argentina vs Saudi Arabia flashed up on the four big screens: 88,012. My light research about the stadium before the game had revealed that it was an 80,000-capacity venue. Again, this was happening everywhere: 67,372 at the 60,000 capacity Al Bayt stadium for the tournament opener between Qatar and Ecuador, 45,334 in for England vs Iran, at the 40,000 Khalifa International Stadium.

An explanation was put out by Fifa about capacities for World Cup games differing to stadium capacity. Weird, still, that a news story on the official Qatar 2022 website, dated August 1, 2022 and headlined “Qatar’s Fifa World Cup final venue to stage Lusail Super Cup on 9 September”, reads: “Qatar’s biggest stadium and the stage for this year’s Fifa World Cup final will host a special event on Friday 9 September. The 80,000-capacity Lusail Stadium will stage the Lusail Super Cup between Saudi Pro League champions and Egyptian Premier League winners…”

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In case it’s been rewritten by the time you read this, I have the screenshots to prove it.

To confirm the madness, Fifa’s official press release last Friday claimed that “Fifa World Cup attendance figures stand at 94 per cent after the first round of the group stage”. Sure it does.

Where next? The rules, which are about as clear and pliable as mud.

Take the bizarre behaviour in a meeting on the morning of England’s opening game against Iran, when the English FA sought clarity on what sanction captain Harry Kane would face for wearing the pro-LGBT+ OneLove armband, only for Fifa to refuse to clarify beyond insisting that a yellow card would be the minimum punishment. A red card? The game called off? England kicked out of the World Cup? Who was to know?

To make things clearer, two days later, Germany’s players staged a mini-protest of their own, holding hands over mouths in a pre-match team photo and wearing boots and training tops with rainbow colours. Later that day, it emerged Fifa would not take any disciplinary action. The explanation? The explanation was that there was no explanation. Helpful.

While we’re on the topic of rainbows, Wales fans had rainbow items confiscated on entry to the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium for their opening game against USA, prompting Fifa to have a word with the Supreme Committee and remind the World Cup organisers that the company line was that everyone was welcome. There were more reassurances that everyone was welcome.

Two days later, more cases emerged of rainbow items being refused entry. Then it happened again. And again. Everyone is welcome, remember. Keep saying it enough times and eventually the World Cup will be over.

Then there was the beer. Fans had already paid thousands to attend a World Cup before, two days before a tournament 12 years in the making began the Qatari government decided Budweiser, one of Fifa’s main sponsors, who pay £62m for each four-year World Cup, would have to pack away the beer tents they had set up at each of the eight stadiums. Suffice to say the “Well, this is awkward” tweet from the Budweiser account, which was later deleted, is the least of Fifa’s worries: the American beer brand is seeking £40m back.

Beneath the rows and confusion about armbands, rainbows and beer, the small matter of the climate catastrophe facing the planet and Fifa’s claim that this will be a carbon-neutral tournament has gone a little under the radar.

A small, green “save the planet” banner has been held aloft by six volunteers on the pitch while teams sing the national anthems. Green adverts can also be seen on the pitch-side hoardings.

Environmental charities have, however, been bemused by Fifa’s claims that this tournament is carbon neutral. Carbon Market Watch, an environmental non-profit, accused Fifa of “creative accounting” when it came to their green credentials. In a report, Carbon Market Watch pointed out that you tend to calculate a carbon footprint after an event has taken place.

You might have thought the environment would be a burning issue for Qatar, a country climate scientists in 2015 predicted would experience heatwaves from 2070 onwards that would be too hot for human survival. And no amount of soundbites or slogans will save them.

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Portugal 2-0 Uruguay (Fernandes 54′, 90+3′ P)

It was music to Manchester United fans’ ears.

The man who went from hero to zero in Manchester, Cristiano Ronaldo, wheeled away in celebration, claiming the goal that set Portugal on their way to victory over Uruguay and a spot in the last-16 of the World Cup with one group game to spare was his – only for the stadium announcer to break the hearts of the veteran’s Middle Eastern fanboys by declaring Bruno Fernandes as the rightful goalscorer.

Ronaldo was not celebrating the goal, he was celebrating his goal, laughing sarcastically as he heard Fernandes’ name. There was no touch on Fernandes’ supreme cross, however. The goal, and the night, belonged to a player back to his very best.

The Portugal camp have done all their can to insist they are all singing from the same hymn sheet, and the cold shoulder that Fernandes gave his decorated team-mate after that interview with Piers Morgan was a hilarious quip about Fernandes arriving in Qatar via boat. But we know what we all saw.

United were quick to congratulate Fernandes on social media – any excuse to take a shot at the now exiled renegade – with the fact that Ronaldo would have been even more seething that a late Fernandes penalty could not be his as he had been substituted, gave everyone in Manchester more reasons to smile.

It was just what arguably the player of the tournament so far deserved. Fernandes has been directly involved in eight goals in his last five appearances for Portugal, scoring five and assisting three.

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Such form has been replicated at United, too. It is no coincidence that United’s mini revival this season has coincided with their talisman finding his top level once again. Carrying his club and country, for Fernandes, is just where he wants to be.

The whole atmosphere was a strange one in the fittingly incongruous surrounds of Lusail – a city literally built from scratch, solely to maintain opulence façade that is Qatar for the World Cup.

Inside the colossal Lusail Stadium there were plenty of fans in the red of Portugal, but one rendition of “Cristiano Ronaldo” to the tune of Seven Nation Army told you they were not Portuguese.

The veteran jobhunter’s name being announced in the lineup nearly raised the roof. It seemed 80 per cent of those in attendance were there to see one man, and one man only.

Other than a trademark free-kick, trademark in that it was fired straight into the wall, Ronaldo could not break down a Uruguay side chasing a World Cup record sixth consecutive group stage clean sheet in the first half.

Another former United forward, Edinson Cavani, was handed a start for Uruguay, but he was equally as ineffective. In fact, the only first-half chance of real note was brought about by a mazy run from Tottenham Hotspur’s Rodrigo Bentancur but Diogo Costa made a smart save.

The issues with Qatar, which coaches and players have been keen to move on from, thankfully are still being raised by the braver souls, with one pitch invader early in the second half wearing a “Save Ukraine” t-shirt and waving what appeared to be a pride flag, before being wrestled to the floor.

Such a step seemed to spark what had been a pretty drab affair into life, with a Fernandes cross, perfectly placed onto the head of Ronaldo, missed, despite his claims, finding the bottom corner.

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Three glorious chances came – substitute Luis Suarez firing into the side netting, Maxi Gomez thundered an effort against the post and Giorgian de Arrascaeta should have done better when put through – and went for Uruguay who just cannot get going in Qatar.

Such profligacy proved costly as Jose Gimenez handled in the penalty area after Fernandes stuck the ball through his legs and with Ronaldo on the bench – you could see the steam coming out of his ears from the stands – Fernandes confidently stroked the ball home.

Fernandes drilled against the post as he went agonisingly close to the hat-trick he deserved, but the cherry remained in the fridge.

At the final whistle, Ronaldo was seen again claiming the ball brushed his forehead, being the team player that he is. For Fernandes and Portugal, it did not matter – they have another inspiration figure capable of inspiring them to bigger and better things.

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DOHA — Nteeba George is stood at the top of the stairs, leaning against the railing, watching France play against Denmark. He is a 30-year-old from Uganda, his red cap with Colonel Sanders above the brim and “It’s finger lickin’ good” emblazoned on his black shirt a giveaway that he works at the nearby KFC.

“I always comes here to watch the games in my break,” he says. “We all enjoy the matches. It’s very good.”

We are watching the match on the giant screen outside Al Sadd’s three Barwa towers, a complex that includes a five-star hotel, luxury apartments, restaurants and offices. It’s intended for hotel guests, residents and the customers of the restaurants, but it’s been showing every game of the Qatar World Cup and modest crowds of migrant workers and tourists regularly fill makeshift seats created by the neat, raised gardens either side of a fountain outside the hotel to watch for free.

Further back is an overpass that crosses a busy, six-lane road. The bridge leads to Al Jazeera Street, which is popular with migrant workers and offers diverse cuisines from Turkey to Bangladesh to Korea. When games are on, people stretch up the steps to watch, either standing at the rail or sitting on the steps and peering through the translucent fibreglass.

George found work in Doha via an agency in Uganda. He arrived in April and has a two-year contract. He lives in the KFC accommodation in Ain Khaled, on the outskirts of Doha.

“It was my wish to go to a game but when I went to buy a ticket they were very expensive so I never got a chance,” he says. “So I watch here. I enjoyed England against Iran. There were a lot of people here. It depends on the match how busy it is, but for the big teams you get many people here.

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“Of course I miss family and friends at home but I came here to look for a future. The World Cup brings unity in the whole world. No Arab country has hosted the World Cup. In Africa it was South Africa. In Europe it is different countries. It has been in other parts of the world. So having it here it’s brought unity and peace.”

You could rarely find a starker contrast to reflect the reality of life in Qatar, where almost 90 per cent of the roughly three million population are low-paid migrant workers, the rest the wealthy citizens who form the Qatari elite. Two-bedroom apartments in the area can cost £1,800 a month to rent. At the hotel, Doha’s Millennium Plaza, illuminated by a vast lighting system that forms flags of all the competing countries, rooms cost what some migrant workers earn in a month or more.

A small road divides the overpass stairs and raised gardens from the curved tower complex, disappearing into the night sky, where large BMWs and Lexuses pull in for the group of valets to park their cars.

Navjot is one of the valets. He arrived from India for work and lives at accommodation near to England’s Al Wakrah training camp. He and his colleagues are watching the game in-between parking cars.

“A lot of people are coming at the moment,” he says. “I’m busy any time cars come. I don’t properly see the match. I like Ronaldo and Messi!”

Back on the stairs, I ask another gentleman if he speaks English and if I can ask him a few questions. He says he is Bangladeshi and, quite rightly, asks if I speak Arabic, then laughs. He points at the screen and I get the impression he’s telling me — again, quite rightly — that I’m interrupting him watching the football.

From up here, the mix of people can be fully appreciated. A mother and father with their young child, wearing a red coat with hood up, perch by the fountain, dodging splashes of water. Barwa security guards in olive uniforms stand with arms behind their backs, on duty but also enjoying the football. There are men in baseball caps and Taqiyahs, the Islamic rounded skullcap.

The audience is mostly male but a group of six Hindu women sit on the small row of front-facing steps that turn towards the screen at the bottom, using one another to rest their backs.

The crowd ebbs and flows as the game progresses. It loses some of its members, but gains others. Fans with shirts from France, Argentina, Germany, the USA come and go, or stay.

At one stage, early in the second half, I look up and Nteeba George is gone, presumably his break over. With 15 minutes remaining, a man turns up and stands below the stairway, at the back of those watching on ground-level, clutching his laptop bag, waiting to see if the reigning world champions will win on the way home.

Tunisians Fethi, 60, and Ali, 65, wearing smart trousers and flip-flops, sit on the makeshift seats provided by the raised gardens. Fethi’s daughter and son-in-law are nurses who live nearby and they are staying with them for the tournament.

Fethi attended Tunisia’s games against Denmark and Australia. “Believe me, this World Cup here in Qatar is the best ever,” he says, taking a drag on one of the many cigarettes he smokes during the game. “For everyone. They respect all the religions and nationalities, they are very friendly.”

The gay Qataris and LGBT+ football fans who didn’t feel safe travelling to a country where same-sex relationships are a criminal offence would probably disagree.

Ali, in his thick-rimmed black spectacles, watched the Tunisia v Denmark game here on the big screen. “It was full,” he says. “A lot of Tunisians live here and many come to Doha to see the World Cup.”

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The commentary is in Arabic and though I can’t understand a word of it there are long periods where the commentator repeats “Mbappe! Mbappe! Mbappe! Mbappe! Mbappe!” Frequent hoots of horns that accompany the somewhat erratic driving on Doha’s busy roads mingle with the sounds of football in a stadium 10km away pouring through loud speakers.

The crowd here claps and cheers when Kylian Mbappe opens the scoring, but cheer even louder when Andreas Christensen equalises seven minutes later. Head shake with the disbelief of what might have been when Adrien Rabiot scissor kicks over. And the celebrations are lively for Mbappe’s late winner. On the whole, people seem to be celebrating the game, as opposed to either team, simply loving that live football is on and they have somewhere to watch it.

The area is packed by the end, with more people watching from the stairs and the street than in the circular cordoned off seated area reserved for paying customers.

The match ends and people rise to their feet and venture off into their different walks of life. A group of six security guards in white shirts and black ties head back towards the Amiri Gems store, to the right of the complex, a place selling diamonds and luxury watches the vast majority in Qatar will never be able to afford.

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