Idman.biz
The first round of the mini-football world championship held in Baku has ended.
Idman.biz reports that 16 matches were held in 8 groups over two days.
These meetings were remembered for some points.
56 goals
56 goals were recorded in 16 matches. 33 goals were scored on the first day of the tour, and 23 goals on the second day. The average productivity was 3.50. More goals - 19 goals were scored in Group D. In Group F, this figure is 9. Those who watched the matches of Group E witnessed the fewest - only 3 goals.
Our national team stumbled
The Azerbaijani national team, which was the 4th in the previous World Cup, started the championship, which it was the favorite of, with a loss of points. Elshad Guliyev's students unexpectedly stumbled in the match with Bahrain. A 1:1 draw did not allow our team, which aspires to be the champion, to start the competition with a victory.
India again
15 goals were scored in the most productive match of the tour. Slovakia defeated the Asians in the match with India. The Indians, who were accustomed to conceding double-digit goals in previous world championships, also gained the image of the weakest team in the Baku competition.
Difficult victory from the champion
Romania, who came to Baku to defend its title, already faced difficulties in the first round. The reigning champion, who faced serious resistance in the match against Uzbekistan, was happy with a minimal difference – 2:1. Romania, which is the leader in the group with France and Chad, does not seem to have an easy job at all.
First sensation
Although the loss of points of our national team in the game with Bahrain was considered unexpected, the biggest sensation of the tour was in Group F. Kazakhstan, which lost in the final two years ago, started the fight at the National Gymnastics Arena with a defeat. Although the vice-champion opened the score in the match with Poland, he left the field without points in the end – 1:2.
Successful debut from "Ay-ulduzlular"
The championship also started with a loss of points for Hungary, which the Azerbaijani national team lost to in the bronze medal match two years ago. They were stumbled by Turkey, the debutant of the world championships. "Ay-ulduzlular" took one point from their strong opponent – 1:1. In a word, only Romania won the first round in Baku out of the four teams that played in the semi-finals in the UAE.
Dangerous debutants
Teams that participated in the world championship for the first time in their history have become a danger for ambitious rivals. Only three of the 9 debutants lost in the first round. Uzbekistan was able to resist the last champion Romania (1:2), Chad to France (0:1) (1:2), and Israel lost to Serbia with a score of 0:3. Turkey and Bahrain drew 1:1 with Hungary and Azerbaijan, the semi-finalists of the last World Cup, and Slovenia and Mauritania, our national team's rivals in the group, drew with each other - all 1:1. Among the debutants, Indonesia defeated Costa Rica 1:0, and Poland defeated vice-champion Kazakhstan 2:1.
Four devastating defeats
A difference of 3 or more goals was recorded in four matches of the first round. Slovakia defeated India 15:0. In the duel of Europeans, England disappointed Ukraine with 4 goals. Both matches of Group H ended with a score of 3:0. Spain disappointed Ghana, and Serbia disappointed Israel with this result.
Football traditions come to mini-football
None of the countries that have been world champions in football have repeated the same success in mini-football so far. But teams with great football traditions were happy with a successful start in Baku. England defeated Ukraine 4:0, Spain defeated Ghana 3:0, France defeated Chad 1:0. Argentina, which lost to the Czech Republic 1:2, also made a good impression in the first match. The 4 countries that have been champions in classic football - Brazil, Germany, Italy, Uruguay - do not participate in the mini-football world cup.
It should be noted that the matches of the II round of the group stage of the championship will be held on May 23-24.
Vugar Khayrullayev
Idman.biz
