Tag Archives: 2022 Qatar World Cup

My Take On It: The good, the bad, and the downright ugly of 2022 Part II

Saulos Chilima in court for corruption

Then the LORD said to Cain, ‘Where is your brother Abel?’ ‘I don’t know,’ he replied. ‘Am I mybrother’s keeper?’ — Genesis 4:9

The good news out of 2022 is that the United Kingdom now has a King, US President Joe Biden hosted (first time in 8 years) African leaders, and Argentina emerged as winners of the 2022 World Cup.

The bad news is that Queen Elizabeth II, for a long time, the face of the UK, passed away, as did Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Uncle Dick Malawi’s former photojournalist Uncle Dick Milanzi, so have relatives.

While the good and the bad, mix and mingle, they balance each other out, however, the down right ugly of 2022 was really just that — down right ugly.

internationally, the European Union’s deception in the post-Cotonou agreement that if sinned as is turns 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific nations into its puppets along with its questionable push for unacceptable foreign notions that push for abortion, gay rights, and comprehensive sexuality education to minors. All these under the guise of human rights.

The world can accept the western nations to be champions of human rights when their borders open equally for refugees from all countries (not just from nations where it’s citizens are caucasian.

At the World Cup in Qatar, gay rights activists attempted to shame the Arabic nation as anti- human rights. Where is the tenet of “when in Rome, do as the Romans do?”

Again if the western countries are champions of human rights, they should respect the laws of laws, values, and cultures of other nations.

Locally things are really bad in Malawi, and my people must do a retake, total factory recall of what it means to be and how to be a Malawian. On three scores Malawians everywhere, we are failing in the act of being a Malawian.

The police, notorious over the years of being puppets of and prone to submission to even the lowest official from ruling party, succumb to these party zealots: they have intimidated ordinary Malawians, arrested people including the Vice President His Honor Rt. Honorable Saulos Chilima, a female official (Director of Anti-Corruption Martha Chizuma) arrested in the middle of the night ( who was forced to dress in front of male police officers), and stopped government officials doing their jobs because a politician said to prevent the government person from doing his job.

To the police, we say please change your operating manual: you work for the people of Malawi not a few misguided, political party operatives that are not even on government payroll.

The political musical chairs politicians (who have been members of every political party, when such party has its leader at the state house, please stop your noise! Such move-abouts as Hophni Makande, a member of the MCP, was heard blabbering about Chakwera being in power until 2030.

In case the likes of Malango and other MCP zealots, please remember the current government is a Tonse Government made up of nine political parties. There is no “life president” at the state house, so the party zealots must stop their noise clamoring for attention.

Politicians behaving badly, are unwittingly breeding village vigilantes that have these past years thrown stones at a presidential motorcade, chanted “wakuba” as the Vice President’s motorcade is passing, and lately villagers uprooting the President’s maize in his farm in Mangochi. 

This is the time for some police action. There has been none. In such situations, malawi police are missing in action (MIAs).

Sad, corruption is rampant in Malawi. As a people, we need to do a stock-taking exercise, where we agree as a people to stamp out call out and uproot corruption in low and high places. And it the UK government is a steward of the camp fighting corruption, they should shave Sattar’s gains (rent from 100 houses in the UK) and pour into Malawi development projects, medicines in hospitals, infrastructure development in the energy sector.

Lastly, this is a call to Malawians everywhere, stop hating your country and your fellow Malawians! Anywhere you find Malawianswhen the subject is about Malawi, that 365 mile long and 52 mile wide plot of land in Southern Africa, almost all Malawians will have an lunar or two of scorn to pour on the soil.

It really is a miracle that Malawi still exists, with all the self-inflicting wound daggers Malawians have about their country.  There are enough people, with the other hidden agendas who manufacture information about our 365-52 plot of land, that’s are blaring from international corridors all the negatives one can confuse up.

As a nation, let all Malawians stop the self-hatred, stop pouring scorn on country, a developer and nurture a love for Malawi.

Let us offer solutions for what is going wrong in our country, we must resist the temptation of joining the fray of the prophets of doom. We should not add more wood to the fire on our nation. 

Every Malawian must remember if people either working in Malawi, or discussing Malawi, don’t like Malawi or don’t have positive things to say about Malawi, if they don’t believe in us, if they have a stockpile of negatives about our land, let us ask them “what are you doing here?” “Why don’t you go where things are right?” Or “Please talk about other things, not my country.”

Malawians should in this new year invest in a course in pride for one’s country. Malawians must defend our country, it’s all we’ve got; everywhere else we are foreigners just like the Hebrews were in Egypt.

Happy New Year!

France vs Morocco in Qatar 2022 World Cup Semi-Finals: Is it Africa against Europe or Africa against Africa?

By Burnett Munthali

The debate continues everywhere in the capital in Lilongwe about France versus Morocco. I can’t just wait for this magical moment.

I went for shopping in town in a super market. I cannot remember very well how the conversation started but all I remember is that the world cup discussion started in the shop.

It was a team of workers in the fully packed supermarket who started talking about France and Morocco game scheduled to take place tonight and I just jumped into the debate with a question. Who will carry the day?

Of course the answers were in support of both sides. I happily concluded that the good thing was that the two teams would play today to end this kind of debate and only one team would win.

I left town and found another heated debate in a barber shop about the same game. France v Morocco was the topic.

Hours are slowly drawing near and the doomsday is fast approaching.

Will France walk over Morocco or the Atlas Lions beat France, the Blues, and surprise the world again?

African trailblazers Morocco will endeavour to continue their magical World Cup 2022 journey when they face a monumental test of their mettle against current holders France in Wednesday’s semi-final at the Al Bayt Stadium.

The Atlas Lions stunned Portugal 1-0 to reach the final four, while Les Bleus sent a dogged England side home via a 2-1 scoreline to keep their hopes of back-to-back titles alive, and either Argentina will await the victors in the showpiece event.

Match preview
A missed Harry Kane penalty is a collector’s item in football, and France were the “lucky” recipients – according to Didier Deschamps – of such good fortune, as the reigning champions prevented England from bringing football home in a memorable quarter-final.

Aurelien Tchouameni’s thunderbolt and Olivier Giroud’s header either side of an accurate Kane penalty got the job done for France, although Bleus supporters were relieved and stunned in equal measure when the England captain blazed a second spot kick over the top.

France also had to survive a late Marcus Rashford free kick which nestled onto the roof of the net, and referee Wilton Sampaio found himself at the centre of controversy too, but a place in the semi-final was wholly deserved for a Bleus side whose aspirations of back-to-back titles are still on.

Les Bleus failed to win any of their first three World Cup semi-finals, but they have since prevailed on their last three occasions in 1998, 2006 and 2018, and it has been 84 years since a European nation managed to reach the World Cup final as reigning champions – the Italian luminaries of 1934 and 1938 were the most recent to do so.

By conceding to Kane from the spot, France ensured that they would still be without a World Cup 2022 clean sheet ahead of their semi-final with Morocco, who by contrast certainly know a thing or two about keeping opposing players at bay, even with defensive alterations being forced upon them.

No matter what transpires at the Al Bayt Stadium on tonight, the current Morocco crop have already cemented their place in national and continental folklore as the first-ever African nation to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup.

Being forced to cope without Nayef Aguerd and Noussair Mazraoui while meeting a Portugal side who hit Switzerland for six was not what the doctor ordered for Walid Regragui, but his stand-ins performed admirably to keep A Selecao at bay, and a Youssef En-Nesyri header was all it took for the Atlas Lions to make African history.

Having taken maximum spoils against three international behemoths in Belgium, Spain and Portugal, Morocco would be worthy finalists indeed, and the Atlas Lions enter the semi-final having remarkably prevented opposing players from scoring in the entire tournament so far.

Aguerd’s own goal against Canada represents the only time that Yassine Bounou has been beaten in Qatar – Regragui’s side otherwise have four clean sheets to their name – and the Morocco faithful ought to enjoy this statistic, as the last two teams to keep five clean sheets in a single World Cup were Italy in 2006 and Spain in 2010, both of whom went on to become champions.

Profligacy has been of major benefit to Morocco too, as only nine of the 45 shots they have faced at the World Cup have been on target, but facing a France side who have never suffered defeat to the Atlas Lions in five matches should not intimidate Regragui’s players or their vociferous fanbase.

The battle begins few hours from now!

Qatar 2022 World Cup Semi-Finals: Meet Croatia National Football Team

Croatia National Football Team

By Burnett Munthali

Here is Croatia, the team that will play against Argentina tonight Tuesday 13 December 2022 at 21:00 hours (9:00 PM)

The Croatia national football team (Croatian: Hrvatska nogometna reprezentacija) represents Croatia in international football matches.

It is governed by the Croatian Football Federation (HNS), the governing body for football in Croatia.

It is a member of UEFA in Europe and FIFA in global competitions.

The team’s colors reference two national symbols: the Croatian checkerboard and the country’s tricolour. The team is colloquially referred to as the Vatreni (‘Blazers’) and Kockasti (‘Checkered Ones’).

Croatia

Nickname(s)
Vatreni (‘Blazers’)
Kockasti (‘Checkered Ones’)
Association
HNS
Confederation
UEFA (Europe)
Head coach
Zlatko Dalić
Captain
Luka Modrić
Most caps
Luka Modrić (160)
Top scorer
Davor Šuker (45)
FIFA code: CRO

FIFA ranking
Current
12 3 (6 October 2022)

Highest
3 (January 1999)

Lowest
125 (March 1994)
First international
Croatia 4–0 Switzerland
(Zagreb, Yugoslavia; 2 April 1940)
as FIFA member
Slovakia 1–1 Croatia
(Bratislava, Slovakia; 8 September 1941)
as modern Croatia
Croatia 2–1 United States
(Zagreb, Yugoslavia; 17 October 1990)
as FIFA member
Australia 1–0 Croatia
(Melbourne, Australia; 5 July 1992)

Biggest win
Croatia 10–0 San Marino
(Rijeka, Croatia; 4 June 2016)

Biggest defeat
Spain 6–0 Croatia
(Elche, Spain; 11 September 2018)

World Cup
Appearances
6 (first in 1998)
Best result
Runners-up (2018)

European Championship
Appearances
6 (first in 1996)
Best result
Quarter-finals (1996, 2008)
Nations League Finals
Appearances
1 (first in 2023)
Medal record
FIFA World Cup
2018 Russia Team
1998 France Team

Historically, sides represented sovereign entities such as the Banovina of Croatia from 1939 to 1941 and the Independent State of Croatia from 1941 to 1944. Since 1994, the modern-day team has qualified for every UEFA European Championship tournament since 2004, reaching the quarter-finals twice (1996, 2008).

In 1998, they competed in their first FIFA World Cup, finishing third place behind Brazil with the tournament’s top scorer, Davor Šuker. Twenty years later Croatia reached the 2018 World Cup Final with France, finishing second place with the tournament’s best player, Luka Modrić.

They maintain sporting rivalries with Italy and Serbia, both of which have led to disruptive matches.

Since 1994, the Vatreni have qualified for every UEFA and FIFA tournament except for Euro 2000 and the 2010 World Cup.

Croatia entered FIFA ranked 125th in 1994; they ascended to third place following their 1998 World Cup campaign.

This marked the fastest, most volatile ascension in FIFA ranking history and made them the youngest team to occupy the Top 10 in the World Ranking. In July 1998, Croatia recorded its highest-ever Elo rating of 2,006 points.

The team represents the second-smallest country by population and land mass to reach a World Cup Final, behind Uruguay and Netherlands respectively.

At the World Cup, Croatia holds World Cup records for most penalty shoot-outs played (2), most penalty shoot-outs won (2), most penalties saved in a match (3), and most extra time periods played (3), among other team records.

They are one of three teams—along with Colombia and France—to be named FIFA Best Mover of the Year more than once, winning the awards in 1994 and 1998.

Qatar World Cup 2022: Brazil in agony after exit against low ranking Croatia

Neymar being consoled

It wasn’t supposed to end like this.

Brazil had danced into the quarter-finals of the World Cup but their dreams of a showpiece jig in the final ended in tears at Education City Stadium.

Croatia schooled the Samba stars on penalties to end hopes of a sixth triumph as they were dumped out of the competition by a European nation again.

It looked like Neymar would be the hero when he opened the scoring in extra time toequal Pele’s official scoring record for the men’s national teambut – as the unused fifth penalty taker – he left the field in tears after what could be his final World Cup match.

After the game, it was confirmed that boss Tite would be leaving his job, the 61-year-old unable to add to his Copa America triumph in 2019,while Neymar hinted at international retirement.

“It is indeed very difficult,” Tite said after the loss. “But it is the end of my cycle with the Brazil squad.I said that one and half years ago.”

South American football expert Tim Vickery said on BBC Radio 5 Live: “This is death in the family.

“That is what it is going to feel like in the next few hours for Brazil fans. Croatia have sent the far bigger nation into mourning. This will really hurt for a long time.

“I hope the population will not turn on them. Brazil crowds can be vicious. I hope there isn’t a negative backlash because this team don’t deserve it.” Should Neymar have taken first penalty?

The opening 90 minutes were engrossing but the sides could not be separated and the contest went into extra time.

Croatia have been there in eight of their past nine knockout games in major tournaments and there was only one outcome thereafter.

Neymar thought he had stood up for his country when they needed him the most, firing into the roof of the net to finish a slick team move.

The 106th-minute strike was his 77th international goal, drawing him level with the great Pele according to Fifa records.

But Bruno Petkovic’s equaliser four minutes from time – which was Croatia’s only shot on target – salvaged hope of progression which they settled on spot-kicks.

It was the opposition that were dancing this time as a disconsolate Neymar sank to the turf, tears streaming down his cheeks.

He was to be the fifth penalty taker but did not get that opportunity after Marquinhos struck the post to seal their fate.

The same sorrowful ending has happened before.

At his home World Cup in 2014 Neymar’s participation wasended by a back injury, and four years ago they werebeaten at the same stage by Belgium.

Here he was one of the last players to trudge off the pitch, Brazil’s supporters sitting in the stands in disbelief, their hopes in Qatar extinguished.

“Neymar was the fifth because that is the decisive one,” said Tite. “There is more pressure and the players who are more mentally prepared should be ones to take this last penalty kick.”

But former Germany striker Jurgen Klinsmann disagreed on BBC One, saying: “He would have been my number one penalty taker. You need him to set the tone.” ‘End of the dream’

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Brazil’s World Cup was ended by a European nation for the sixth consecutive tournament, and they last beat a side from that continent in the 2002 final against Germany.

That was also the last of their five World Cup triumphs, and it has been 20 years since a non-European side lifted the trophy.

The statistics make for grim reading for Brazil.

The South American side have been slow starters and have failed to score in the first half of six of their past seven matches in the competition.

Had Vinicius Junior or Neymar put away the opportunities that fell their way in the opening period it may have been a different outcome.

Tite’s men also became the first team in World Cup history to be eliminated from a knockout match in which they scored the opening goal during extra time.

Meanwhile, the last time a nation ranked world number one reached the semi-finals was when Brazil did so back in 1998.

“It is not only myself that loses, the entire team loses,” said Tite. “We tried to focus on chances and finishing. Our strategy was to increase the volume – we had 19 chances and 11 shots at goal. They could not have one shot on target.

“I understand I am the most responsible one, but we are all responsible for this loss. That is football. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.”

Brazilian president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silvaon Twitter “Brazil worked hard. Neymar scored a beautiful goal and the team deserved better. My respect to the players and manager.

“Let’s keep moving forward because in life we can never give up.”

Brazil website Globo Esporte bemoaned the ‘end of the dream’ on its home page.

It was for Tite, his players and all Brazil supporters.

Source: classfmonline.com

American sports journalist Grant Wahl dies covering World Cup match

Wahlberg dies while covering World Cup

DOHA- (MaraviPost)- Renown U S. soccer journalist Grant Wahl collapsed and died while covering the Argentina-Netherlands match at the World Cup in Qatar on Friday evening.

Wahl’s wife, Dr Celine Gounder, confirmed her husband’s death in a statement on Twitter on Friday shortly after his death.

According to Wahl’s brother Eric, Grant’s passing is suspicious following his crashes with the Qatar authorities over his support for LGBTQ+ community which was followed by death threats.

“My name is Eric Wahl. I live in Seattle, Washington. I am Grant Wahl’s brother. I’m gay.

“I’m the reason he wore the rainbow shirt to the World Cup. My brother was healthy. He told me he received death threats. I do not believe my brother just died. I believe he was killed. And I just beg for any help,” said Eric in a video clip.

The 48-year-old was covering Argentina’s quarterfinal win over the Netherlands on Friday before he collapsed at Lusail Iconic Stadium. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but passed away along the way to the hospital.

According to his brother, Grant was “healthy” before he collapsed during a game Friday which made him believe that his sudden passing was suspicious.

There is no information on the cause of Wahl’s passing, however, Qatar’s reaction to Wahl’s progressive views has made football fanatics across the globe to question the cause of his death .

Grant who works for CBS Sports and writes a popular Substack column recently made headlines after he was detained before the United States games against Wales for wearing a rainbow flag shirt in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community .

The veteran author and former Sports Illustrated reporter was barred entry prior to the detention as security guards demanded he remove a shirt showing a soccer ball surrounded by a rainbow.

U.S. Soccer released a statement via Twitter sending condolences to Grant’s family and the entire soccer community. The organization eulogized Grant as a powerful figure in the soccer community whose belief in the power of the game to advance human rights will remain inspirational to all.

Wahl started his career as a sports reporter with SI in November 1996 before making his way up to a senior writer for the publication in 2000. Prior to his professional career, he spent a summer in Argentina studying the political culture of clubs at Princeton University and His coverage specialized in international soccer, constantly expanding his love, knowledge and respect for the game.

He also worked with Fox Sports, as an on-air personality, and he wrote three books on the game: The Beckham Experiment, Masters of Modern Soccer and Football 2.0.

After leaving SI in 2020, he started his own Substack, “Fútbol with Grant Wahl,” to share his soccer coverage and worked at Meadowlark Media. He was also a producer on the Good Rivals docuseries on Prime Video.

He is survived by his wife, Dr. Céline Gounder, an infectious disease epidemiologist who served on Joe Biden’s coronavirus taskforce.

Malawi’s Flames dreams on 2022 Qatar World Cup shuttered

Malawi’s Flames

By Edwin Mbewe

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Elephants of Ivory Coast have beaten the Flames of Malawi home and away to shut down all dreams and hopes the Malawians had of qualifying to the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Malawi has lost by two goals to one in Benin on Monday,The Ivorians added salt to the fresh wounds which Meck Mwase’s boys sustained at Orlando Stadium in South Africa few days ago where they thrashed them by three goals to nil.

The elephants have scored five goals past Flames and collecting the maximum six points while Malawi has scored once.

Arsenal player Nicole Pepe opened the score sheet at second minute of the first half after the Malawian defender Peter Cholopi failed to clear the ball from the danger zone.

Khuda Muyaba reacted too fast with some brilliant performance at 19th minute, he dribbled past Manchester United defender Eric Bailly before taking a powerful shot with his left foot and Ivory Coast goalie Ghohouo was very far to catch the ball.

First half ended the host one and the visitors one,but Malawi had a grant game in this half despite the host creating scoring chances through former Arsenal attacker Gervinho.

Second half Flames failed to maintain their first half play as they lost possession of the ball so easily sitting in their own half for some time until the Ivorians were awarded a penalty which Franck Kessie scored past Brighton Munthali at 67th minute.

After conceding the goal, Malawi tried to attack but failed to penetrate through the elephants defence as Khuda Muyaba had a huge task playing as a lone striker.At 82nd minutes Dennis Chembezi had a chance to level the score from a Gerald Phiri Jnr’s well taken free kick which was curved in the penalty box,but Chembezi’s near post header was saved for a corner by Ivory Coast goalie,and that was so close.

The referee blew the whistle to end the match and yes the Flames are freezed with their hopes shuttered as they have a mountain to climb now if they are to qualify to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Elephants of Ivory Coast lead group D with ten points now from four games played while the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon are second with nine points, Malawi three and Mozambique with a point anchoring the group with same number of games.

Malawi is remaining with two games to wind up the group D Qualifiers, they play Mozambique away before meeting Cameroon at home,the future is now uncertain because even if they win their remaining two games they will have 9 points,one shy of Ivory Coast.

Mozambique’s Mambas burnt to ashes as Malawi’s Flames recover from indomitable lions bite

Malawi The Flames

By Edwin Mbewe

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Flames of Malawi on Tuesday, September 7, 2021 burnt to ashes the Black Mamba’s of Mozambique at Orlando Stadium in South Africa, to register their first win in 2022 Qatar World Cup qualifying campaign.

Malawi National team recovered from their first game defeat away in Yaoundé against the Indomitable Lions where they lost by two goals to nil,by beating the Mamba’s of Mozambique by a goal to nil at home,Orlando Stadium.

Meck Mwase made few changes from the first squad which faced Cameroon away; Richard Chipuwa was trusted to guard the sticks with Dennis Chembezi,Limbikani Mzava,Stanley Sanudi and Charles Petrol playing in defence, while on the engine room Mwase trusted John CJ Banda, Gerald Phiri Jnr with Peter Banda and Frank Gabadinho Mhango playing in the wings,and Richard Mbulu and Khuda Muyaba were thrown upfront.

From look of things, Mwase had offensive game plan,and aimed at getting early goals which worked for the Flames.The game which started with all teams attacking, but it was Malawi who showed more hunger for the goals, hence piling pressure on Mozambique. No wonder at tenth minute Richard Mbulu headed in a ball on an empty net after Mamba’s goalie fall down when he was trying to recover the ball which his defender gave him through a back pass.

First half ended with the Flames narrowly leading Mamba’s by a goal,but it was a balanced game. Came second half, Flames started where they had stopped in the first half with several efforts by Khuda Muyaba, Gabadinho Mhango and Richard Mbulu going off targets and again flames defence was well disciplined, a scenario that kept Richard Chipuwa busy watching the game.

From 60th minute, Mozambique started piling pressure to Malawi as fatigue started clipping on Flames players especially in the midfield, no wonder Mwase made some changes to defend the lone goal,Richard Mbulu,Gerald Phiri Jnr were replaced by Chimwemwe Idana and Chikoti Chirwa.

Flames managed to defend the lone goal,though they started finding problems at left back where Dennis Chembezi was playing but the Mamba’s could not break through to find the back of the net.

The last whistle was blown and yes the Flames, burnt the Mamba’s to ashes,and it was the time to sing and dance the AMA PIANO.

The win has taken Malawi to third position in group D of the 2022 Qatar World cup qualifiers with three points from two games,Ivory Coast lead the group with four points after beating Cameroon on Monday in Abidjan and a draw away in Maputo,Mozambique, while Cameroon is second with three points they got from Malawi win at home in Yaoundé, Mozambique anchor the group with a point they collected from Ivory Coast at home in Maputo.

Ivory Coast is the next on Flames menu in October this year at home.