Qatar 2022 matchups not short on intriguing historical narratives

RIYADH: As the dust settles over the 2022 World Cup draw in Doha, and coaches start preparing dossiers on their opponents for the action in seven months, narratives are emerging.

Qatar is the first host to participate in the World Cup for the first time, but it will not be playing a part in the tournament’s opener, that honor going to the Netherlands and Senegal on Nov. 21.

The omens bode well for Senegal. In 2022, they kicked off the World Cup in Japan and South Korea with a stunning 1-0 win over then defending champions France. And 22 years earlier, Cameroon pulled off an identical feat at Italia 90 by beating Diego Maradona’s Argentina by the same score.

In Group H, the scent of revenge will be in the air.

Few supporters from Ghana, or around the world, will have forgotten Luis Suarez’s 120th-minute goal-line handball, and subsequent penalty miss by Asamoah Gyan, that denied the African nation a place in the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Even less would have forgiven the controversial Uruguayan star for his celebrations following his red card and his country’s win in a penalty shootout.

Expect fireworks when the two teams, including Suarez, step onto the pitch at Al-Janoub Stadium on Dec. 2.

Uruguay, for their part, have previously faced all three other teams in Group H, beating South Korea 2-1 in 2010, and in 2018 overcoming Portugal 2-1 in the round of 16.

Group B is in danger of narrative overload.

England, the US, and Iran will be joined by the winner of a European play-off (Wales, Scotland, or Ukraine).

This will be the third World Cup meeting between England and the US, with the Americans still unbeaten against the nation that exported the game to the world.

Famously, the US beat