It was the sort of day that has you staring at the screen. You had the stoppage-time letdown for the Swiss, a hard-nosed Morocco stalling Brazil, and some long-overdue joy for Scotland. In New Jersey, Boston, the Bay and Vancouver, we saw how things would play out in person.
Don’t have time for the details? Here’s the rundown:
– Qatar 1-1 Switzerland (own goal in the dying moments)
– Brazil 1-1 Morocco, all tied up
– Scotland 1-0 Haiti, 28 years in the making
– Australia 2-0 Turkiye, sealed late on
What went wrong for Switzerland in the end
For the most part, they had it under control in their Group C opener. Breel Embolo made no mistake from the spot in the 16th – after VAR had its say – and from there they set the pace and didn’t give Qatar much to work with.
But just when you think you’re home free, it can turn on a dime. In the third minute of extra time, sub Miro Muheim put a clearance in his own. Suddenly it was 1-1. The Qatari side were in the stands in spirit, while the Swiss looked like they’d been put to the sword.
And there was some talk of foul play too. Replays of that early penalty hinted an offside might have been in the box. A check was done, but nothing on the big board. FIFA put us right afterwards: a bit of a tech issue with the display, but the call stood.
Morocco make a point of holding Brazil
You could tell from the get-go this was going to be a war of attrition. Ismael Saibari was on hand to put the ball in the back of the net in the 21st, catching the Selecao napping. Morocco, with some of that 2022 swagger left in them, weren’t put off by who they were up against.
Brazil didn’t take long to respond. Vinicius Junior found some room and put one away with style 11 minutes in. The first 45 was all over the place; after the interval it was more of a grind. 1-1 is a good result for the Brazilians, but for Morocco it was a message.
Scotland finally have their day
You could feel the weight of it in the 1-0 over Haiti in Boston. For long stretches, Scotland were on the back foot, having to work hard for their service. But they made their move when it counted. In the 27th, John McGinn put his boot to a free ball and let fly from out there; a thick deflection was enough to put past Johny Placide.
After that, you could feel the Tartan Army in every challenge. Haiti came at them, making some late inroads and putting the Scots to the test, but the defence didn’t budge. When the ref called time, it was a release of sorts: the first World Cup victory for Scotland in 26 years, and with it, the top spot in Group C to start with.
Australia up their game on Turkiye
You had to be there to see Australia make their mark. It was a tight affair to begin with – the first shot on frame only a few minutes in – but then Nestory Irakunda put the Socceroos in front in the 27th. Turkiye tried to answer and there were some near-misses all around as the tension built.
It was left to Connor Metcalfe to put it to bed in the 75th. A cool finish to end any talk of a comeback. The 2-0 says it all: Australia were the more precise side in the important moments.
So what does it tell us?
We’re three days into a 48-team World Cup and the whole thing is as unscripted as they said it would be. You had Qatar nicking a point when they should have been done for, and Morocco once again showing they can stand up to anyone. Then there’s Scotland, whose patience has been rewarded, and Australia, who didn’t flinch. Even Brazil are finding out there are no soft targets here.
Whether you’re in New Jersey or Vancouver, the message is the same: once you’re on the pitch, your name doesn’t mean as much. One slip-up, one kind of bounce, and the game is on. Judging by how we’ve started, getting to the final is going to be quite a journey.
Day 4 on the docket
There are some new tales to be told in the coming fixtures. Curacao make their World Cup bow against Germany for the first time ever. The Dutch and Japanese have a proper tussle in Group F. Ivory Coast and Ecuador look to be an even contest. And Sweden are back in the mix with Tunisia.
The ones to have on your radar for Matchday 4:
– Germany vs Curacao (Group E)
– Netherlands vs Japan (Group F)
– Ivory Coast vs Ecuador (Group E)
– Sweden vs Tunisia
If Day 3 is anything to go by, the World Cup has you in its grip. A VAR penalty, an own goal to turn the tables, a star chipping in when he has to, a country’s wait over. The line between success and failure is paper-thin and the drama isn’t letting up.
