FIFA World Cup 2022, Group E
Al Bayt Stadium
Al Khor, Qatar
1 Dec 22
There was no official programme for the WC but they did produce an excellent 129 page Fan Guide which included all of the information that a visiting fan would require.
This was the very first ticket I purchased and it was during the first FIFA ballot on 23 Mar 22. The cost was 600 QAR (approximately £136 each) and I did it for the sole purpose of getting access to the accommodation portal in Qatar, as at the time I was a bit concerned about all of the cheaper accommodation options on the MSC cruise ships being sold out. When I applied for the ticket (Match 44) I didn't even know who was playing, but it turned out it was Germany v Winners of Play Off Final 1, later confirmed as Costa Rica after they defeated New Zealand in a match refereed by a dodgy official from UAE. In the end I managed to get 6 nights on the MSC Poesia for the bargain price of £949.39
This was my second of four visits to the Al Bayt Stadium so I got to know the place quite well. The stadium has a capacity of 68,000 and is located in the north of Qatar at Al Khor, 35 km north of central Doha. The stadium design was inspired by the the traditional nomadic tent, the 'bayt al sha'ar' tents. The stadium will host 9 matches in total, 6 group stage matches (including the opening match between Qatar and Ecuador), a Rd of 16 match, a Quarter Final match and the 2nd Semi Final
Costa Rica 2 v Germany 4
Attendance: 67,054
This game was a classic WC game, full of twists and turns. Germany were totally superior in the first half and deservedly led at half time thanks to a 10th minute guided header from Gnarby which found its way into the far corner. In the second half the Costa Ricans came out fighting and in the 58 minute they got their equaliser when Kendall Watson headed on target and Neuer parried the ball into the path of Yeltsin Tejeda who put it away from close in. Then on 70 minutes a freekick caused mayhem in the German defence and Juan Pablo Vargas poked the ball in via a ricochet off Neuer, 2-1 Costa Rica. Sadly the joy was short lived when on 73 minutes Los Ticos failed to clear their lines and Fullfrug flicked the ball on to Havertz who slotted home. Then on 83 minutes Gnarby flashed a cross into the area which Havertz tapped in to bag his brace. To round off proceedings on 89 minutes, Sane chested the ball down for Fullkrug to fire in. Germany win 4-2 but it is all to no avail because Japan's defeat of Spain inflicted consecutive group-stage eliminations on the Nationalmannschaft.
On the 30 Nov we visited the fabulous 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum. Perhaps it's name implies that Qatar are aiming to bid for the Olympic games 😟
Qatari's celebrating the right to host the World Cup finals back in 2010. The bid was riddled with corruption but here a number museum exhibitions proudly celebrate the day Qatar brought the WC to the desert
A model of the Al Bayt Stadium, tomorrow night's venue
The official main poster of the Qatar World cup 2022 shows the agal - a traditional head piece worn in Qatar alongside typography expressing voices of the crowd.
Your honour I give you exhibit A , the 'Hand of God' cheat shirt worn by Diego Maradonna in the 1986 WC QF at the Azteca Stadium, Mexico City.
The 1993 movie 'Cool Runnings' was inspired by the 4-man Jamaican bobsled team who competed at the 1988 winter Olympics in Calgary; and here it is in Doha
A lesson in how to beat a Robo Keeper by Steve H
When we exit the museum it's dark already and the Torch hotel is lighting up the sky
Across from the Torch is the popular Villagio Mall. The Mall takes on a slightly Italian theme, even the entrance is a replica of the San Siro in Milan
Marble floors and Roman arches..
...and even a touch of Venice
The Mall has a canal and motorised Gondolas
We need to do this
At a reasonable price we hired our very own Nepalese Gondolier to show us the Venice of Qatar
After the tour of the mall we settled down in a cafe to watched the 1:1 draw between France v Tunisia.
Then back to the MSC Poesia just in time for the Group D encounter between Australia and Denmark
Its matchday we are off to Katara cultural village which has so much see but we only have a couple of hours to burn
The Pigeon Towers are at the centre of the village just next to the mosque
This is iconic Arabic architecture which has the purpose of creating a home for pigeons so that they can harvest their pooh as fertiliser💩💪
The Katara Mosque is sometimes referred to as the 'Blue Mosque' due to the hand painted ceramic tiles. It's minaret (above) contains 24K gold leafed glass mosaic tiles
This mural by the Cuban artist Maisel Lopez Valdes in Katara village symbolises the friendship between Qatar and Cuba.
Living Street Art
A rose for a rose🌹
At the end of the red line we come to Lusail and couldn't resist a selfie with the golden bowel of the Lusail Stadium
Strutting down Lusail Boulevard
A quick cuppa with La'eeb
Walking the Lusail Boulevard into the Whale Shark Light Show
The Whale Shark is watching
We all love Qatar💗
The taxi from Lusail dropped us off on the side of the busy Al Khor Highway and told us not too worry as there was a gap in the fence. He just never told us about the second perimeter fence😒
After scaling the second fence (like a team of Navy Seals) we were on our way across the pedestrian bridge.
The Al Bayt Stadium is one Big Tent
Street art on the approach
Some local girls hanging out
Getting the party pumping 🥁
Sue was thrilled to see the La'eeb show and then meet all of his FIFA World cup mascot buddies
England's Top boy is posing again😎
A taste of hospitality with my Hungarian hostess
Then we spotted a famous Costa Rican folk dancer chatting with some Germans. Time to move in💣
On request she does a little dance for us💃
And then she asks for a phot. I couldn't resist💃
Costa Rica's number One fan
Another Zero Bud glides down the hatch
"But we don't give a Fu%k, cos we are Engerland and we're still in the Cup. Ole, ole, ole, ole ......."
Lights dimmed,
Flags and fire,
Let there be light💥
Plum seats in Block 114
Sebastian Schweinsteiger the former German midfielder is now a TV presenter for the German broadcaster ARD and he is right next door to us
Germany's first goal celebrated by flag waving in the 10th min
20 minutes in and the Germans are totally dominant
The hated 'Mexican Wave'
Cheeky 'concourse selfie' at HT
Costa Rica team talk at the start of the 2nd half
The games turns out to be a bit of a roller coaster with the lead changing three times but eventually the Germans come out on top by 4 goals to 2 after Fullkrug killed the game off in the 89th
We left the stadium early to beat the scrum for the shuttle busses. Despite their victory the Germans failed to qualify for the KO phase because Japan defeated Spain which sent Costa Rica and the Germans packing
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