Former Nigerian midfielder, Austin Okocha says Qatar’s 2-0 loss to Ecuador in the opening match of the 2022 World Cup could be blamed on the air conditioner at the Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor.
Recall that Enner Valencia scored a brace in the first half to ensure all three points from Group A which also has the likes of Senegal and The Netherlands.
Reacting to the game, the former PSG star stated that Qatar are used to playing in the heat and may not have adjusted to the coldness of the stadium.
Okocha, who is on punditry duty for Super Sport alongside Michael Owen and Owen Hargreaves, noted that Qatar did not put up much of a fight in their loss.
“They did a professional job. They got the three points…needed, but in my opinion, Qatar made it a lot easier for them,” he said.
“I don’t know if the pressure was a bit much on them during the first half or maybe the air conditioner might have affected the players because they are used to playing in the heat [but] you have to give credit to Ecuador because it’s not easy to play against the host and they got the job done.”
