World Cup

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World Cup | Group Stage

Nov 29, 2022 at 3pm UK

Netherlands
2 - 0
Qatar

Gakpo (26'), de Jong (49')
Ake (52')

FT(HT: 1-0)

Qatar looking to avoid unwanted World Cup records in Netherlands match

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 28 November 2022

Qatar will be looking to avoid setting two unwanted World Cup records when they face Netherlands at the Al Bayt Stadium on Tuesday.

Qatar will be looking to avoid setting two unwanted World Cup records when they face Netherlands on Tuesday.

Ahead of hosting the tournament, the debutants were hopeful of being competitive for a spot in the knockout stages having been drawn in Group A alongside Oranje, Ecuador and Senegal.

However, the Maroon were outclassed in their opening fixture against Ecuador, failing to get a shot on target, before they put up a spirited effort in a 3-1 defeat to Senegal on Friday.

Nevertheless, having failed to collect a point from their first two games, Felix Sanchez's side have already been eliminated from the tournament with a game to spare.

As well as pride being on the line at the Al Bayt Stadium, Qatar will also want to avoid setting a couple of World Cup records.

Qatar huddle during the first half during a group stage match during the 2022 FIFA World Cup at Al Bayt Stadium on November 20, 2022 © Reuters

In the entire history of the competition, no host nation has ever suffered three defeats, including if progressing past the group stages.

Furthermore, Qatar are bidding to avoid conceding the most goals by a host nation during the round-robin phase, that record currently held by South Africa.

Qatar have already shipped the same amount of goals as the African nation, meaning that they require a clean sheet against the three-time runners-up to share that particular statistic.

They will perhaps be encouraged by Netherlands having only recorded four shots on target during their opening two fixtures with Senegal and Ecuador.

Louis van Gaal's team need to register six efforts on target if they are to avoid setting a new Dutch low in the group stage since records began in 1966.