World Cup 22

I decided to try managing all the nations at FIFA World Cup 2022 in turn.

First, the hosts Qatar:

I played a 4-2-3-1 keep-ball game

First game v Netherlands conceded early to a Virgil van Dijk header.  Remarkably equalised from the spot before Memphis Depay cut in from the wing for the winner.  Gutted.  Lost 1-2.  The keep-ball tactic probably helped as had 60+% possession.

Next game v Ecuador.  Despite conceding what felt like hundreds of corners in the first half, went into the break 0-0.  Felt like one of those backs to the wall games I could steal.  Nope.  Thoroughly beaten 2-0.

Last group game v Senegal.  Needed a win to stand a chance of getting out of the group.  Hang on a second, Sadio Mane is playing!   Threw everything at this and scored first to lead at half time.  Eventually Senegal equalised but Qatar held out for a draw.

So, eliminated in the group stage as in the real world, but with a point, 2 goals and a -3 goal difference.  2 decent performances out of 3.  If that had happened in real life I think Qatar would have been pleased.

Senegal are eventually knocked out in the Quarter Finals after extra time by Argentina.  Netherlands reach the final where they beat Spain 1-0 with Depay scoring again.

Other results of interest:

Argentina beat Switzerland for 3rd place.

Argentina, Senegal and Portugal knocked out France, England and Brazil in the last 16 stage.

Morocco bottom of their group!

Harry Kane won the golden boot with 6 goals.

Next up: Canada.  A team who deserved more in this WC than they got.

For some reason their pre-tournament warm-up is against Malta.  A 5-0 thrashing ensued.  29 shots in total. 4 of which hit the woodwork.  All looking positive.

In the first group game, it went OK for the first hour against Morocco, then conceded 4 in a catastrophic 14 minutes.

Second match was an absolute pounding from Croatia.  Eventually lost 7-0 but could have been even more.  Unfortunately the digital players don't seem to match the effort and commitment of their real life equivalents and the CBs look especially weak.

Already eliminated with a game to spare.  At least it's an easy one against Belgium - oh, wait, they'll probably be decent in the game.  Checks other results, - they have beaten Croatia & Morocco already.

For this I drew the 2 wide forward / midfielders back, changing the formation from 4231 to 4411.  This stifled Belgium for over 70 minutes before they eventually scored.  They got a second at the end for a 2-0 win but a much more encouraging performance.

Bottom of the group with 0 points and -13 GD.  Compared with 0 points and -5 in reality.  A disappointing campaign.

Belgium and Croatia qualified from group F with Morocco losing out again.  Croatia eventually lost to England in the Semi Finals and USA in the 3rd / 4th place match.  While Belgium went out to Brazil in the Quarters.

Final  England 0 Brazil 1 (Martinelli)

Other results of interest
Argentina and Spain both lost on penalties in the last 16 - to Tunisia and Croatia
France lost in the Quarters to USA.
Germany failed to get out of the group.

Golden boot again went to Harry Kane with 6 goals