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India Moves Legally to Help 8 Citizens on Death Row in Qatar

Families of the former Naval personnel feel this wrong information that has been circulated could further endanger the situation the former Naval personnel find themselves in…reports Asian Lite News

On the matter involving 8 ex-naval personnel being sentenced to death by a Qatar court, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the judgment remains “confidential”, adding that the appeal has been filed in the case.

The MEA has also urged everyone to refrain from “engaging in speculation” due to the sensitive nature of the case and that the Indian embassy received another consular access on November 7.

Addressing a media briefing on Thursday, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “Qatar’s court passed a judgement on October 26 in the case involving 8 employees of Al Dara company.”

Bagchi was responding to a question on eight detainees, who have been given death sentences, if would be freed on December 18, the National Day of Qatar. He added that the retired naval personnel were sentenced to death by a Qatar court on charges that have not yet been made public officially. They (legal team) are now pursuing further legal steps and an appeal has already been filed, he said.

“The judgment is confidential and has only been shared with the legal team. They are now pursuing further legal steps and an appeal has already been filed. We will also remain engaged with the Qatari authorities in this matter,” the MEA spokesperson also said.

The MEA is actively coordinating with Qatari authorities and has secured consular access on November 7th. Furthermore, the External Affairs Minister (EAM) has met with the family members of those involved. On November 7, the Indian embassy in Doha received another consular access to the detainees,” said Bagchi.

“We are in touch with their family members too. External Affairs Minister met the family members earlier this month in New Delhi,” he added.

The eight former Indian Navy personnel were employees of Dahra Global, a Doha-based private defence services provider. They were arrested in August 2022 for espionage. India called the ruling deeply shocking and deployed all diplomatic channels to engage with Qatar on this case.

“We will continue to extend legal and consular support and I would urge everyone not to engage in speculation considering the sensitive nature of the case,” Bagchi appealed.

Friends and families of the eight former Indian Navy personnel detained in Qatar and given the death penalty by a court in the Gulf country are hopeful for early relief. In the absence of any concrete information on the trial in Qatar, the families feel there are a lot of misconceptions originating in the West Asian media on the issue.

A close relative of one of the men detained in Qatar, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that the wrong information had been reported by several media outlets in West Asia alleging that the Indian Navy men were accused of spying on a submarine project run by Qatar.

According to the relative, the ex-Indian Navy men were not engaged in espionage but had gone to Qatar to help with the country’s Naval program. Qatar has also not made any proof public to substantiate these allegations of spying.

Families of the former Naval personnel feel this wrong information that has been circulated could further endanger the situation the former Naval personnel find themselves in.

According to the families, the eight Naval men have served the nation with the highest integrity and honour while in the Indian Navy. Their families and friends are extremely distraught and have been traumatized by their year-long detention. What has further hurt them is the fact that the circumstance of the detention has been misreported.

Meanwhile, Qatar is also yet to provide details of the charges against the former Naval officers, nor has the order of the Court of First Instances been shared with the families of the Ex-Naval officers.

The families say this is a bilateral matter between the two countries and it needs to be handled with tremendous sensitivity.

Notably, on October 30, families of the detained ex-Naval men met with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar who assured them of full government support.

“Met this morning with the families of the eight Indians detained in Qatar. Stressed that the Government attaches the highest importance to the case. Fully share the concerns and pain of the families. Underlined that the Government will continue to make all efforts to secure their release. Will coordinate closely with the families in that regard” the Minister posted on X after the meeting.

Speaking to ANI earlier, Navy Chief Admiral Hari Kumar also sought to reassure the families of the detained men.

“Every effort is being made by the government to ensure we take up through the legal course and we get relief for our personnel,” said Admiral Hari Kumar.

Earlier the Ministry of External Affairs had said that they were in touch with the families of the former Naval personnel and that all legal options were being explored. (ANI)

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‘Govt taking all efforts to secure release of Indians’

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi with the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, in Doha, Qatar on June 05, 2016.

Jaishankar says that the government attaches highest importance to the case and will coordinate closely with the families…reports Asian Lite News

The government will continue to make all efforts to secure the release of eight Indian nationals sentenced to death in Qatar, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said after meeting their families in New Delhi on Monday.

On October 26, 2023, a court in Qatar had awarded the death penalty to eight former Indian Navy officers who had been detained in the West Asian country for over a year.

“Met this morning with the families of the 8 Indians detained in Qatar. Stressed that Government attaches the highest importance to the case. Fully share the concerns and pain of the families.

The Indian government had earlier expressed deep shock over the court verdict and said it was exploring all available legal options to secure the release of these Indian nationals.

“We are deeply shocked by the verdict of death penalty and are awaiting the detailed judgement. We are in touch with the family members and the legal team, and we are exploring all legal options,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

“We attach high importance to this case, and have been following it closely. We will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance. We will also take up the verdict with Qatari authorities,” the MEA said. “Due to the confidential nature of proceedings of this case, it would not be appropriate to make any further comment at this juncture,” the MEA added.

While the Indian government as well as the Qatari authorities have not commented on the nature of the charges against the eight, some news reports have suggested that the former Indian Navy officers may have been charged with security-related offences.

The first hearing in the case was held on March 29, 2023 after it was referred to the court by the public prosecution. The Indian Embassy in Doha had been extending necessary consular as well as legal assistance to the detained Indians.

Meanwhile, Indian Navy Chief Admiral Hari Kumar said that the government is making every effort to ensure relief for the eight Indian personnel detained in Qatar. The eight Indians who now face the death penalty in Qatar for alleged spying are all former Naval personnel.

Speaking at an event in Goa, Kumar said, “The court hearing was supposed to be transcribed and provided to us on Sunday…but we heard the MEA statement on this.

“Every effort is being made by the government to ensure we take this up through the legal course and we get relief for our personnel,” he added.

This comes after the Court of First Instance of Qatar passed a verdict of the death penalty for the eight former naval officers who were detained in Doha.

Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with the families of eight Indians detained in Qatar and assured them that the government will make all efforts to secure their release.

The EAM said that the government attaches the “highest importance” to the case and will coordinate closely with the families in that regard.

“Met this morning with the families of the 8 Indians detained in Qatar. Stressed that Government attaches the highest importance to the case. Fully share the concerns and pain of the families. Underlined that the Government will continue to make all efforts to secure their release. Will coordinate closely with the families in that regard,” Jaishankar posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs said that it was “deeply shocked” by the verdict and now awaits the detailed judgement.

“We have initial information that the Court of First Instance of Qatar has today passed a judgement in the case involving 8 Indian employees of Al Dahra company,” the MEA said in a statement.

“We are deeply shocked by the verdict of the death penalty and are awaiting the detailed judgement. We are in touch with the family members and the legal team, and we are exploring all legal options,” it added.

The MEA further stated that the matter is very important to us, the MEA said adding that and they have been keeping a close eye on it.

“We attach high importance to this case, and have been following it closely. We will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance. We will also take up the verdict with Qatari authorities,” the MEA release said.

“Due to the confidential nature of proceedings of this case, it would not be appropriate to make any further comment at this juncture,” it added. (ANI)

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Qatar shocker: death penalty for 8 Indians

India explores legal options to help the Navy veterans detained in 2022, Opposition seeks PM’s intervention…reports Asian Lite News

The Court of First instance of Qatar has passed a verdict of death penalty for the eight former naval officers who were detained in Doha, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

The MEA said it is “deeply shocked” by the verdict and now awaits the detailed judgement.

“We have initial information that the Court of First Instance of Qatar has today passed a judgement in the case involving 8 Indian employees of Al Dahra company,” the MEA said in an official press release.

“We are deeply shocked by the verdict of death penalty and are awaiting the detailed judgement. We are in touch with the family members and the legal team, and we are exploring all legal options,” it added.

This matter is very important to us, the MEA said adding that and they have been keeping a close eye on it.

“We attach high importance to this case, and have been following it closely. We will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance. We will also take up the verdict with Qatari authorities,” the MEA release said.

“Due to the confidential nature of proceedings of this case, it would not be appropriate to make any further comment at this juncture,” it added.

The eight Indian nationals have been imprisoned in Qatar since October 2022 and were accused of allegedly spying on a submarine programme.

New Delhi had been granted consular access to the eight Indians and had been working to secure their release. The Indian nationals had their first trial in late March.

Opposition seeks PM’s intervention

Meanwhile, the Congress expressed “anguish and shock” over the disturbing developments in Qatar where eight former Indian Navy personnel, who have been in custody there since last year, being awarded death sentence.

The party said it expects that the government will use its diplomatic and political leverage with the Qatar government to the maximum to ensure that former naval officers have full recourse to appeal for release.

In a post on X, Congress General Secretary (Communication) Jairam Ramesh said, “The Indian National Congress has noted with the greatest anguish, distress and shock the most disturbing developments in Qatar regarding 8 former officers of the Indian Navy.

“It hopes and expects that the Govt of India will use its diplomatic and political leverage with the Qatar government to the maximum to ensure that the officers have full recourse to appeals and also do the utmost to get them released at the earliest.”

Ramesh’s remarks came after news surfaced that eight former Indian Navy personnel, who have been in custody in Qatar since last year, have been awarded death sentence.

The accused, including decorated officers who once commanded major Indian warships, were working for Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, a private firm that provides training and related services to Qatar’s armed forces.

Their bail pleas were rejected numerous times and their detention was extended by the Qatari authorities.

Officers with unblemished service records

The Indians awarded the death penalty include former Indian Navy captain Saurabh Vashisht, commander Purenendu Tiwari, captain Birendra Kumar Verma, commander Sugunakar Pakala, commander Sanjeev Gupta, commander Amit Nagpal and sailor Ragesh.

All eight were former Indian Navy officials with “unblemished service records” and had taken voluntary retirements in search of greener pastures. They moved to Qatar to join the Al Dahra security company, which had a pact with Qatari authorities for facilitating training to naval personnel.

According to the old website of Al Dahra, the company provided training, logistics and maintenance services to the Qatari Emiri Naval Force (QENF). However, the website is now revamped and the company name changed to ‘Dahra Global’ and it no longer boasts any connection with the QENF.

The owner of the company was an Omani national, Khamis al-Ajmi, a retired squadron leader of the Royal Oman Air Force. al-Ajmi too was jailed along with the eight Indians, but he was released in November 2022.

A report that appeared in Al Jazeera in May claims the Indians are accused of passing information about a stealth-capable submarine, allegedly to Israel.

In 2020, Qatar signed a pact with Italian-based shipbuilding firm Fincantieri SpA to build submarines as part of a larger project involving the construction of a naval base and maintenance of its military fleet. The project now seems to have been dropped.

Even after the spy case broke out, Israel did not officially comment on the issue. But Al Jazeera said Tel Aviv “has stakes in preventing the development of military technologies across the Middle East, as it fears it could undercut its United States-backed military edge.”

The arrests reportedly happened on 30 August, 2022, under the cover of darkness. The Qatar’s State Security Bureau, their spy agency, did not inform the Indian Embassy about the arrest and only a month later could they call their families to inform them about the development.

There were speculations that the ex-Indian Navy officers were being “framed” by Pakistani intelligence agencies. But, Indian officials never confirmed these rumours. Indian Ambassador to Qatar and the Deputy Chief of Mission met them in prison and they had legal representation in court. This hinted that the Indian government are aware of the charges, but has decided against revealing them to the public.

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Hearing on naval veterans held in Qatar starts today

Family members have to wait outside the trial court and are not privy to what goes on inside…reports Asian Lite News

The hearing of the ongoing trial for the eight Indian naval veterans will be held on Tuesday, October 3, after nearly a two-month period.

Family members of most of the veterans are in Doha at present and are expressing optimism about the outcome of the hearing on Tuesday.

“The wait has been long and arduous for 13 months. Though there is speculation on the veterans being repatriated, going by the background one can’t say anything till an actual announcement is made,” said a source.

Family members have to wait outside the trial court and are not privy to what goes on inside.

“From offering prayers to writing to the Qatari authorities to grant the veterans pardon, families have left no stone unturned. The Indian government too has extended all possible support. We are avidly waiting to hear the outcome of October 3rd’s hearing,” the source added.

It has been a year since the eight veterans were sent back to pack their bags to leave for India, which didn’t happen. Their packed bags always give them hope of returning, but it’s the court’s order that will decide on their fate soon.

It may be recalled that these eight naval veterans were working for a naval consultancy firm called Dhara Consultancies which was owned by an Omani Emir. It was on the night of August 30, 2022, when a knock from members of Qatar’s Ministry of Interior urging them to leave for a naval exercise landed them in prison. From being under solitary confinement they are now living on a twin-sharing basis.

Mercy pleas have been filed by some members and there is hope that a pardon, if not a court trial could finally help in their repatriation to India.

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Qatar PM visits Kandahar, meets Taliban officials

Qatari PM Abdulrahman Al Thani visits Kandahar, meets Taliban officials

The Qatari leader has met with Afghanistan’s Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund, reports Asian Lite News

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani arrived in Kandahar on Friday and met with Taliban officials, reported Tolo News.

Qatari PM Abdulrahman Al Thani visits Kandahar, meets Taliban officials

He met with Afghanistan’s Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund, the spokesman of the Taliban Zabiullah Mujahid said on Twitter. “In this meeting, the Prime Minister of that country emphasized on strengthening the relations and increasing the level of trust between the two countries, as well as practical cooperation in the educational, health and economic fields of Afghanistan,” he tweeted.

The Qatari delegation also included the head of the Qatari State Security (Intelligence Service) Abdullah Al-Khulaifi.

Mujahid said they discussed cooperation in strengthening relations and trust, and working together in the education, health and economic sectors, reported Tolo News.

“Qatar’s further cooperation with the people of Afghanistan was emphasized.

Qatari PM Abdulrahman Al Thani visits Kandahar, meets Taliban officials

At the same time, the heartfelt message of the Emir of Qatar was appreciated and that country was encouraged to play a greater role in building more trust between the countries and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” tweeted Mujahid.

Notably, Qatar facilitated discussions between the Islamic Emirate and the US government that resulted in a peace deal on February 29 of 2020.

Qatar has longstanding ties with the Taliban. While this approach is criticized by some, others benefit from the country’s contacts. Qatar’s main interest is to cement its position as a regional mediator.

Qatari PM Abdulrahman Al Thani visits Kandahar, meets Taliban officials

The relationship between Qatar and the Taliban is anything but new. As early as 2013, Qatar allowed the Taliban to open an office in Doha, with the support of the US administration under Barack Obama.

At the time, Washington was looking for a neutral place to negotiate with the Islamist militia in order to prepare for the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, reported DW News.

Since 2018, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who is one of the founding members of the Taliban, has led its representation in Qatar. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Taliban say conditions unsuitable for reopening schools for girls

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Qatar Emir Lauds WC Success

Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said Qatar World Cup provided an opportunity for the people from different parts of the world to learn about the “richness of our culture and the originality of our values.”…reports Asian Lite News

Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said that Qatar has fulfilled its promise to organise an exceptional championship as the first FIFA World Cup hosted by the Arab country came to a close on Sunday with Lionel Messi-led Argentina winning the title.

Sheikh Tamim expressed hope that the success made by the country in hosting the tournament will be a motive for giving more towards the service and progress to Qatar.

The Emir wrapped a robe around Lionel Messi on stage next to the FIFA World Cup trophy after Argentina won the Qatar 2022 World Cup final.

“I congratulate the Argentine national team for winning the Qatar World Cup 2022, and also the French national team, and I thank all the teams for their wonderful play, and the fans who enthusiastically encouraged them.”

“In conclusion, we have fulfilled our promise to organise an exceptional championship from the Arab countries, which provided an opportunity for the peoples of the world to learn about the richness of our culture and the originality of our values,” Sheikh Tamim tweeted.

The Emir also thanked the International Federation of Football Associations for the “constructive cooperation” in organising the tournament. “I hope that the success we have achieved in hosting the tournament will be a motive for providing more service and upliftment to our dear country.”

“With the end of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, I extend my thanks to all those who contributed from the fans, volunteers, individuals, institutions and ministries to the success of the tournament and showing it, the State of Qatar and the Arab world in an honourable way to millions of viewers around the world,” he added.

National Day

Meanwhile, the Emir congratulated the people and residents of Qatar on the occasion of Qatar National Day which coincided with the final match of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

“We congratulate our people and residents on this good land on the occasion of our National Day, which this year coincides with a festive atmosphere with Qatar’s guests from all over the world at the end of an exceptional world football tournament. Every year, Qatar is in glory and elevation, and may God keep our country safe, secure and stable,” he said.

Closing ceremony

The closing ceremony of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 was held Sunday at Lusail Iconic Stadium ahead of the final match between Argentina and France, featuring impressive shows that blended Qatar’s heritage with its modernity and development.

During the ceremony, the State of Qatar thanked and bid farewell to the whole world after hosting an exceptional, unique, record-breaking and indelible World Cup tournament.

The ceremony featured songs of the World Cup official soundtrack that celebrated the convergence of the peoples of the world over the course of the tournament that continued for 29 days. Davido and Aisha performed ‘Hayya Hayya’, Ozuna and Gims sang Arheboo, and Balqees, Rahma Riad, Manal, Nora Fatehi sang ‘Light the Sky’.

The closing ceremony began with Qatari artist Dana’s rendition of ‘What A Wonderful World’, followed by a poem by Tamim Al Barghouti that celebrated bringing peoples together to celebrate football despite cultural differences.

The 12-minute ceremony witnessed the lighting of 32 balls resembling celestial bodies decorated with the flags of the countries that participated in the World Cup. Two balls remained to symbolize the finalists France and Argentina.

Later in the night, Argentina came out victorious in the intensely fought final in what was likely the last World Cup for Argentine talisman Lionel Messi. After finishing all square at the end of the second half of extra time, Argentina won the final 4-2 on penalties.

Lionel Messi was awarded the Golden Ball, the honour given to the best player of a FIFA World Cup, after a thrilling final at Lusail which saw the legendary striker’s World Cup dreams turn into reality following a 4-2 win over France in penalties.

Messi, playing his final FIFA World Cup this year, was in top form throughout the entire tournament. Scoring crucial goals, converting penalties and assisting his teammates in scoring, the 35-year-old legend did it all.

Argentina won its third World Cup, and its first since 1986.

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‘GOAT’ takes Argentina one step away from history

Batistuta only needed 12 games to reach his tally, while Messi was making his 25th World Cup appearance on Tuesday – that saw him equal Lothar Matthaus’ all-time record of 25 at the tournament…reports Armstrong Vaz

Lionel Messi kept his World Cup dream on track as he scored one and set up another as Argentina romped home into the final of the FIFA World Cup with an emphatic 3-0 win over 2018 finalists Croatia at Lusail Stadium on Tuesday night.

At the end of half time La Albiceleste led 2-0 as Messi converted a spot kick in the 34th minute to give them the lead and Julian Alvarez struck with a sublime solo effort to give the South American side a comfortable 2-0 lead going into the half time break.

Argentina kept the scoring tempo to add a third one in the 69th minute with Alvarez netting his second of the match.

The Argentina captain, who will be playing his second World Cup final on Sunday, having finished as runner-up in the 2014 final to Germany, will be keen to hold aloft the trophy on December 18 at the Lusail Stadium.

The 35-year-old and his teammates will await the winner of Wednesday’s second semi-final between defending champions France and rank outsiders Morocco to see whom they will take on in the title clash.

The PSG striker’s fifth goal in Qatar took him to 11 World Cup overtaking Gabriel Batistuta in the process and making him the all-time top scorer for Argentina.

France’s Kylian Mbappe too has scored five goals and both of them will be in the race for the Golden Boot award.

Batistuta only needed 12 games to reach his tally, while Messi was making his 25th World Cup appearance on Tuesday – that saw him equal Lothar Matthaus’ all-time record of 25 at the tournament.

Nevertheless, Messi’s strike highlights the Argentina star’s remarkable longevity, playing his fifth World Cup. His first World Cup goal came in 2006 against Serbia and Montenegro. At 18 years and 357 days, it made him Argentina’s youngest ever scorer in the competition.

Coach Lionel Scaloni made two changes to the team that featured from the off against the Netherlands.

With Marcos Acuna suspended, Nicolas Tagliafico was selected at left-back, while Leandro Paredes came into the midfield with defender Lisandro Martinez dropping out.

Zlatko Dalic, meanwhile, stuck with the side that started against Brazil on Friday. Luka Modric became only the fourth player aged 37 or over to start six matches at a World Cup, after Brazil’s Nilton Santos in 1962, Italy’s Dino Zoff in 1982 and England’s Peter Shilton in 1990.

Croatia were fully in control in the opening 25 minutes or so with Argentina not being able to make any telling breakthroughs, but once Argentina were awarded their penalty they did not look back as the momentum shifted quickly.

Croatia dominated the ball, controlling more than 60 percent of possession. Still, they managed to do precious little with it, failing to register a single shot on target. Argentina were ready to sit back and battle as Croatia advanced up the field.

Messi scored the opening goal of the game against Croatia 11 minutes before half-time, blasting into the top-right corner from the penalty spot after Alvarez was fouled by Dominik Livakovic.

After Ivan Perisic failed to catch Emiliano Martinez off the line at the other end, the counter was sprung and Alvarez was soon one-on-one with the goalkeeper. The goalie had no choice but to bring down the striker after he tried to find the back of the net, 1-0.

Alvarez’s first goal of the evening had shades of Diego Mardonna’s greatest goal of the 1986 World Cup against England where he waved past a host of defenders from his own half to score one of the best individual goal of the Word Cup.

The young striker scores a goal of some quality as a failed Croatia corner leads to an Argentinian break. The break soon finds Alvarez, who picks up the ball just past the halfway line and sets off on a run with a couple of Croatian defenders on him. As he gets closer to the box, he is almost dispossessed not once, but twice, before he pokes the ball past Livakovic to send the Argentina fans into delirium, 2-0.

In the second half, Argentina continued to hold the fort down on their end, despite numerous Croatia advances. However, if there is any space afforded then Argentina were quick to act, and added to their advantage with a third goal.

For Argentina’s third goal Messi put in a masterclass as he rushed down near the right touchline, with Josko Gvardiol hot on his heels and after making his way to the penalty box, and as he neared the near post on the right side, he saw Alvarez slightly open. The number 10 slips in a quick pass and Alvarez was able to slot it past the right of the keeper to put Argentina one step closer to the final, 3-0.

Messi praises Argentina coaching staff

Lionel Messi hailed Argentina’s coaching staff for masterminding his team’s 3-0 victory over Croatia in their FIFA World Cup semifinal here on Wednesday.

Messi scored from the penalty spot and gave the assist for Julian Alvarez’s second goal as Argentina set up a berth in Sunday’s final against either Morocco or defending champions France, Xinhua news agency reported.

“This group is very intelligent and knows how to suffer both with and without the ball,” Messi told reporters. “Our coaching staff is great, they pay attention to every little thing.”

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni reverted to a 4-4-2 formation after adopting a 5-3-2 shape for the quarterfinal against the Netherlands, which the Albiceleste won on penalties.

The change allowed Argentina to thwart Croatia’s threat in midfield. While the 2018 runners-up controlled a 61% share of possession, they were suffocated for space and, when dispossessed, left large gaps for Argentina to exploit.

“They let us know about every detail and that helps us to know what to do in all situations,” Messi said.

“We know the game would be played that way. We knew they would have a lot of possession. But we also knew that it would play to our advantage because they were a little untidy and left us with lots of space.”

Messi’s strike saw him surpass Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina’s leading World Cup scorer with 11 goals.

In this tournament, he has five goals and three assists as he vies for the Golden Boot award with France’s Kylian Mbappe, who has five goals and two assists.

“I’m feeling well and strong in every match,” Messi said. “Personally, I’ve felt happy at this World Cup and thankfully, I’ve been able to help the team.”

Messi said Argentina’s 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in the opening match served as a wake-up call to the team.

“It was a big blow,” the Paris Saint-Germain forward said. “We had a 36-game unbeaten run and nobody thought we’d lose that match. It was an acid test and since then we’ve played five finals. Thankfully we’ve been able to win all five. Losing that first game actually helped us to grow.”

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Brazil crush South Korea 4-1 to storm into quarter-finals

Several South Korean fans left the stadium in tears as their team became the last Asian side to exit from the tournament on Tuesday…reports Mukesh Sharma

A fabulous show of football by Brazil sent South Korea packing in their FIFA World Cup 2022 Round of 16 match at the 974 Stadium in Doha on Monday.

The Koreans were completely outplayed by the Brazilian side in the first half as the South Americans scored 4 goals in a span of 29 minutes. The Asian side could salvage its reputation in the second half, but just, with the help of a 76th minute goal. The match ended 4-1 with Brazil set to take on Croatia in a quarter final clash.

The men in yellow began the assault on their Asian rivals when Vinicius Junior, assisted by Neymar Jr netted home in the seventh minute by a right foot shot. As a sea of yellow cheered their side incessantly in the 40,000-capacity stadium made with shipping containers, Brazil scored the second goal with the help of a penalty taken by Neymar Jr in the 13th minute.

Brazil’s third goal came in the 29th minute when Richarlison shot from the centre of the box to make it 3-0. He was assisted by Thiago Silva.

Lucas Paqueta, assisted by Vinicius Junior, made no mistake in the 36th minute to make it 4-0 for the South American side.

Several South Korean fans left the stadium in tears as their team became the last Asian side to exit from the tournament on Tuesday.

Neymar’s heart-warming gesture for Pele

Brazil forward Neymar sent his best wishes to football legend Pele on Monday after the South American team advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals with a 4-1 win over South Korea.

Pele, who won the World Cup three times for Brazil, is currently in hospital as he recovers from a respiratory infection and continues treatment for colon cancer.

Brazil’s players posed for a photograph holding a banner with the 82-year-old’s image and name after the final whistle at Stadium 974, reports Xinhua.

“It’s tough to talk about Pele with what he is going through,” Neymar told reporters. “We wish he can get well soon. We hope we made him feel a bit more comfortable with the banner and with the victory.”

Neymar’s first-half penalty means the 30-year-old now has 76 international goals, one shy of Pele’s Brazil scoring record.

The Paris Saint-Germain player said he felt no ill effects of an ankle problem that forced him to miss Brazil’s previous two matches against Switzerland and Cameroon.

“I didn’t feel any pain in my ankle,” he said. “I want to thank the medical staff and the physiotherapists for helping me to be fit for this match.

“I think I played well. I’m very happy with how the night went but, having said that, I think we can always improve. I can’t be 100 per cent satisfied, we can always get better.”

He added: “We wanted to win the match to reach the next round and that’s what happened. The fans celebrated wonderfully inside the stadium and we have to congratulate them.”

Tite lauds team for victory

Brazil manager Tite applauded his team’s attacking flair after a sparkling 4-1 victory over South Korea in their World Cup round of 16 match on Tuesday.

Vinicius Junior put Brazil ahead with a cool finish, and Neymar doubled the lead from the penalty spot at Stadium 974. Richarlison and Lucas Paqueta extended the advantage before substitute Paik Seung-ho pulled a late goal back for South Korea.

“It’s the offensive boldness of this team and the way we play collectively that is impressive,” Tite told reporters, reports Xinhua. “This batch of players is the result of a lot of work from many people, starting at the grassroots level.

“Another feature is that we have a balanced team, both defensively and offensively. The players realize that this balance is what we need in a tournament like this.”

The victory means Brazil will meet Croatia at Education City stadium in the quarterfinals on Friday (Dec. 9).

Tite also commented on his celebratory dance with Richarlison and Brazil’s bench after the Tottenham forward’s 29th-minute strike.

“I asked him [before the match], ‘What is that dance? If you show me, I’ll do it’,” Tite said.

“But I have to be very careful. There might be people who say it was disrespectful. I knew there would be a camera there and I didn’t want it to be misinterpreted. I would never disrespect the opponent or [South Korea manager] Paulo Bento.”

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Qatar 2022 witnesses highest attendance in FIFA World Cup history

FIFA World Cup: Businesses, fans weigh costs and benefits of being in World Cup country (Photo credit: FIFA World Cup/Twitter)

History was also made by Stéphanie Frappart, who not only became the first woman to officiate a FIFA World Cup match, but also, together with Neuza Back and Karen Díaz Medina, formed the first all-female trio to take charge….reports Asian Lite News

After 13 days and 48 matches, the first edition of the FIFA World Cup to be hosted in the Middle East and Arab world has presented an array of facts and figures, starting with a cumulative stadium attendance of 2.45 million spectators, according to a report published by FIFA on its Qatar 2022 portal.

This 2.45-million figure equals an average of 96 percent occupancy and is higher than the corresponding 2.17-million figure for the 2018 edition. The highest attendance in the history of the FIFA World Cup since the 1994 final was seen at Lusail Stadium, where 88,966 fans witnessed the Argentina v. Mexico match.

On the pitch, the FIFA World Cup has faithfully reflected football’s increased competitiveness, as for the first time ever, teams from all continents have advanced to the round of 16. Likewise, three teams from the AFC (Australia, Japan and Korea Republic) have reached the knockout stages – a competition record for the Asian confederation, which previously only had two, in 2002 and 2010. Equally remarkably, for the second time, two African teams (Senegal and Morocco) have reached the knockout stages – the last occasion being in 2014.

History was also made by Stéphanie Frappart, who not only became the first woman to officiate a FIFA World Cup match, but also, together with Neuza Back and Karen Díaz Medina, formed the first all-female trio to take charge. Against Ghana, Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo achieved another incredible milestone by becoming the first player to score at five editions of the tournament. Many matches have attracted the best audiences of the year in their respective countries, with England v. USA becoming the most watched men’s football match on US television ever.

“The outcome of the group stage shows the extent to which more countries have acquired the tools to compete at the highest level,” said FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, Arsène Wenger. “This is the result of better preparation and analysis of the opponents, which is also a reflection of a more equal access to technology. It is very much in line with FIFA’s efforts to increase football’s competitiveness on a global scale.”

As the group stage wrapped up last night, the FIFA Fan Festival welcomed its one millionth visitor. Besides the official tournament venues, Doha’s seaside promenade – the Corniche – has attracted more than two million people since the start of the tournament, with the traditional Souq Waqif market becoming another hotspot for fans from around the world. Uruguayan and Korean fans can be proud of having reached a mighty 131 decibels at their match at Education City Stadium – a noise akin to that heard at a live rock concert.

The most compact FIFA World Cup since the inaugural edition in 1930 is also benefiting fans, teams and media representatives, with the option of attending several matches and entertainment activities per day, while operations continue to run smoothly. During the group stage, the Doha Metro and Lusail Tram networks notched up 9.19 million trips, with a daily average of 707,032 passengers.

The two international airports are comfortably accommodating the influx of fans and teams – so far, 2 million Hayyas (Fan IDs) applications have been received, with fans from Saudi Arabia, India, the USA, the United Kingdom and Mexico at the top of the list for tournament attendance to date. In spite of the unprecedented condensed footprint, with 24 teams staying within a 10km radius of each other, players and officials have also smoothly transferred 3,321 times in and around Doha.

“It’s been a fantastic World Cup, with groundbreaking figures and memorable moments both on and off the pitch. Fans are having an amazing time in Doha, and the whole world is following with excitement on TV as new records as set every day,” said FIFA COO World Cup, Colin Smith. “What some saw as a challenge, we saw as an opportunity. Teams, media and spectators are enjoying more matches, more festivals, more football, more fun – the compact footprint is comfortably addressing the influx of visitors through state-of-the-art infrastructure and thorough operational plans.”

“Together with the host country, we are constantly monitoring and addressing any situation that arises, but the figures already achieved and the fans celebrating together in a joyful and peaceful way throughout this group stage speak for themselves – we are on track to deliver a successful and unforgettable FIFA World Cup.”

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Tunisian shocker for France

Wednesday two other matches will see Argentina take on Poland and a winless Mexico taking on Saudi Arabia…reports Asian Lite News

A 58th minute goal from Wahbi Khazri helped Tunisia inflict a first-ever defeat on defending champions France but the win at the Education City Stadium was not enough to see them to the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup as Australia piped them to the qualifying post.

Khazri’s goal went in vain as the Socceroos’ made it at the expense of the North Africans from Group D after defeating Denmark at the Janoub Stadium and made it to the knockout stage from the group along with France.

France started the World Cup in fine fashion, picking up six points from their first two games and scoring six goals in the process but finished as group leaders ahead of Australia. France, who had already qualified for the knock-out stage with two wins, ended up top despite making nine changes and producing a poor performance.

Both Australia and France finished with six points from two wins, while Tunisia took the third spot with four points from one win and one draw against Denmark, which finished at the bottom with one point.

Australia join already qualified teams France, Portugal, Brazil, Senegal and The Netherlands and will take on winners of Group C, which consists of Argentina, Poland, Mexico and Saudi Arabia.

Wednesday two other matches will see Argentina take on Poland and a winless Mexico taking on Saudi Arabia.

“It’s mixed feelings because we’re happy to beat a team like France,” Tunisia manager Jalel Kadri said.

“We can be proud and leave with our head high, but it is a bitter victory.

“It would have been beautiful to beat France and reach the last 16. It is our fault for not doing what we needed to do before.”

“I said nothing is impossible. We have been able to win over the world champions,” added Kadri.

“We have been able to prove our efficiency and we did our best. We worked as a team. It wasn’t easy for us to get these four points (in the group stage) but we leave with a lot of honour and pride.”

On Wednesday, France having already qualified for the last 16 stage opted to rest a number of players, including Hugo Lloris, Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud.

Taking a cue, the Tunisians dominated the major chunk of the opening session.

The Tunisian continued to call the shot in the second session for the major part of the second session.

Khazri struck 13 minutes into the second session. Youssouf Fofana lost the ball in midfield for France and the ball went to Khazri 30 yards from goal, he moved deep into the rival territory and dribbled into the box almost unchallenged, before slipping the ball past Steve Mandanda, 1-0.

It was only the introduction of Antonie Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe that injected some energy into the French attack.

Infact, Griezmann the Athletico Madrid man had volleyed home from 10 yards to put the teams on level terms but the goal was ruled out following VAR review.

The huge contingent of Tunisian fans welcomed the decision with a big roar as the Kiwi referee Matthew Conger overturned the last-minute equalizer.

Tunisia held on to record an against-the-odds to claim a memorable 1-0 win but The Eagles of Carthage will not progress to the last 16 due to Australia’s victory over Denmark in Group D’s other final fixture but will take solace from this upset against the 2018 champions.

There is a large Tunisian community in France who will savour the result, the country’s first win against European opposition at a World Cup and just their third ever in 18 matches at the tournament.

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