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Hosts Qatar Beaten By Ecuador in World Cup Opener
Hosts Qatar opened the 2022 Fifa World Cup in calamitous fashion, easily beaten by Ecuador in a humbling defeat at Al Bayt.
Felix Sanchez’s men have been together in camp for the last six months to prepare for the tournament and work on tactics, but a nervous and disjointed performance led to a Group A loss.
With Africa Cup of Nations champions Senegal and three-time finalists the Netherlands to come, this looked like Qatar’s easiest game on paper but they were totally outplayed.
A dramatic opening to the contest saw Enner Valencia’s header from close range ruled out for offside by the video assistant referee, but the South Americans did break the deadlock shortly after.
Qatar’s erratic goalkeeper Saad Al Sheeb brought Valencia down in the box and the ex-West Ham forward stepped up to convert the spot-kick.
It got worse for the hosts as Valencia powered in another header before half-time to leave the Al Bayt Stadium silenced at the break.
Many supporters who had left the stadium at the interval did not return, leaving the ground around half empty for much of the second period.
It contributed to a flat atmosphere both off and on the pitch, with Romario Ibarra’s curling shot being pushed out by Al-Sheeb.
Star men Almoez Ali and captain Hassan Al Haydos were both substituted with 20 minutes remaining, and the side were unable to muster a shot on target.
Qatar’s dream turns to nightmare
After the controversies and conjecture, a football was finally kicked in the Qatar World Cup, 12 years on from being named as hosts.
A day that began with real excitement with the opening ceremony, Qatar’s dream turned into a nightmare as they became the first hosts in the competition’s history to lose their opening game.
The Asian champions, a tournament they won back in 2019, offered no threat in the final third and were unable to test Ecuador goalkeeper Hernan Galindez once.
South Africa have been the only hosts not to make it out of the group in 2010, but Qatar could follow as the second with two difficult games left to play.
Ecuador, meanwhile, have set themselves up in a superb position to progress, extending their excellent recent form to one defeat in 16 games and keeping a clean sheet in their last seven.
They were clearly the better side and had the ball in the back of the net after 160 seconds, but Valencia’s close range header was ruled for offside by VAR.
There was confusion as to why the goal did not stand, but Felix Torres’ initial challenge with the goalkeeper fell to Michael Estrada in an offside position.
Ecuador were all over Qatar, whose goalkeeper Al Sheeb was particularly shaky and he brought down Valencia, who coolly rolled in the penalty.
Qatar barely had a sniff and their first shot came in anger when defender Abdelkarim Hassan strode forward but his effort from range was blazed wildly over.
Star man Ali, who scored nine goals in the Asian Cup triumph, struggled to get into the game and headed wide, while Pedro Miguel headed did the same in the second half.
With much of the crowd already leaving to go home, Akram Afif and substitute Mohammed Muntari both smashed over to bring to an end a disappointing opening evening for Qatar.
Josh2Funny’s Album Has Fans Talking — But Should He Stick To Music Or Skits? 😂🎶
Nigerian comedian and content creator Josh2Funny has taken his comedy game into music, and Nigerians are definitely having something to say about it.
The comedian released his 15-track album, “On Behalf of Josh,” on July 10, 2026, but instead of fading away after release, the project has continued to generate conversations on X.
And the big question now is:
Should Josh2Funny continue with music or go back to skits? 😂
Fans have been divided. While some listeners openly criticized the album and told him to return to comedy, others found songs they genuinely enjoyed.
One X user joked:
“Josh2Funny stopped doing skits and started music, Everybody wan chop this music money 😂”
Another simply said:
“This Josh2Funny Album no enter make he just go back skit abeg 😂”
But then came “Lembe.” 🔥
The track caught fire on X and eventually became a trending topic in Nigeria. The #LembeChallenge also gained momentum as creators began jumping on the song.
Josh2Funny later announced ₦1 million for winners of the challenge, giving the song another major push.
And it didn’t stop there.
‘INTERNATIONAL’ FT. ICE PRINCE ALSO TRENDED
On another day, “International” featuring Ice Prince generated its own buzz on X.
One fan even called it their favourite song from the album, while praising the collaboration. The post itself pulled thousands of views, showing that people weren’t only talking about Lembe.
From album criticism to trending songs and challenges, “On Behalf of Josh” has kept Josh2Funny’s name in the conversation.
Whether you love the album or think he should return to skits, one thing is clear:
Josh2Funny has succeeded in getting Nigerians talking. 😂🔥
So, let’s settle this once and for all:
Should Josh2Funny continue with MUSIC 🎶 or return to SKITS 😂?
Music or Skits? Drop your answer! 👇
East Ham, East London — 8 August 2026: The vibrant Igbo community in the UK came together for an unforgettable evening of entertainment, culture and social connection at Igbotic Game Night, one of the biggest social gatherings celebrating the Igbo community in the United Kingdom.
Among the night’s standout moments was an electrifying performance by Afrobeats artist Obeena, who took the stage and immediately captured the attention of the crowd.
Obeena delivered performances of two of his hit songs, “Wara Wara” and “Banging,” bringing his energetic sound and distinctive stage presence to the event. From the opening moments of his set, fans responded with excitement, singing along, dancing and enthusiastically supporting the artist.
His performance of “Wara Wara” created an instant connection with the audience, while “Banging” took the energy to another level. Obeena’s ability to engage the crowd transformed his set into one of the most memorable entertainment moments of the evening.
Held in East Ham, East London, on 8 August 2026, Igbotic Game Night provided a unique platform for members of the Igbo community to celebrate their heritage while enjoying music, games and social interaction. Events such as this continue to play an important role in bringing together Nigerians and the wider African diaspora in the UK.
For Obeena, the performance was another opportunity to showcase his growing artistry and connect directly with fans. His energetic delivery, stage confidence and ability to command the audience demonstrated why his live performances continue to attract attention.
By the end of his set, Obeena had left the crowd amazed and added another memorable chapter to his journey as an Afrobeats artist. His appearance at Igbotic Game Night was not simply a performance—it was a celebration of Nigerian music, culture and community.
With performances like this, Obeena continues to demonstrate his ambition to take his sound beyond the studio and onto major stages, connecting with audiences through music, energy and an unmistakable African identity.
Igbotic Game Night brought the Igbo community together. Obeena gave them a performance to remember.
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