Ecuador could set a historical record in the 2022 World Cup if it beats Qatar, the host, in the first match of both teams in that tournament, on November 21. From the initial edition of the World Cup in Uruguay 1930 to the last, in Russia 2018, no local team has lost in its debut in the highest FIFA tournament
Those led by Gustavo Alfaro will face (from 11:00, Ecuadorian time) the host country at the Al Bayt stadium, which has a capacity for 60,000 spectators, as part of Group A (this key is completed by the Netherlands and Senegal, which will meet in the first match of the World Cup, scheduled to start at 05:00).
The Tricolor has already played against a host team in the World Cup, but in Germany 2006 they were rivals of the Germans in what was the third and last duel of the initial phase. From the distant World Cup of 1930 these are the results achieved by each of the local teams when they played their respective first match.
1930
On July 18, in the first edition of the World Cup, five days after the opening day, Uruguay, the host country, made its debut. At the Centenario stadium in Montevideo, the Celestes beat Peru 1-0 with a goal from Héctor One-armed Castro. Then the charrúas were champions by winning 4-2 in the final against Argentina, on July 30, 1930.
1934
Italy organized the second edition of the World Cup and with a devastating 7-1 victory over the United States, in Rome, it debuted on an opening day (May 27, 1934) in which there were eight games in a unified schedule. Angelo Schiavio (18, 29, and 64 minutes), Argentine naturalized Italian Raimundo Orsi (20 and 69 minutes); Giovanni Ferrari (63), and Giuseppe Meazza (90) scored the goals for the Azzurra. Italy won the final 2-1 against Czechoslovakia in extra time.
1938
France hosted the 1938 World Cup and its premiere took place on June 5, 24 hours after the first match of the tournament. At the Colombes Olympic Stadium, the host beat Belgium 3-1 with goals from Emile Veinante (minute 1) and Jean Nicolas (16 and 69). The French were the first locals not to win the FIFA World Cup.
1950
Brazil was the first home owner to open the World Cup on an opening day in which only one match was played. On July 24, 1950, at the Maracana stadium and wearing the white uniform he wore until that World Cup, the Brazilians thrashed Mexico 4-1. Ademir (30 and 79 minutes), Jair (65), and Baltazar (71) scored for the locals. The crown was taken by Uruguay, on July 16, the day the legend of the Maracanazo was born.
1954
The World Cup arrived in Switzerland, but the host team was not part of the inaugural program, which on June 16 had four games. A day later, in Lausanne, the organizers made their debut with a 2-1 victory over Italy, thanks to goals from Robert Ballaman (18 minutes) and Sepp Huegui (78). Austria fired the Swiss in the quarterfinals.
1958
The World Cup that saw the birth of the Brazilian star Pelé was the one that had Sweden as a local. Although there were eight meetings on the first date, June 8, 1958, the Swedes’ game against Mexico began five hours before the other seven. Sweden debuted in its World Cup with a 3-0 opening; Agne Simonsson (17 and 64 minutes) and the famous Nils Liedholm (57) scored. The joy of the host country was diluted in the final, lost 5-2 to Brazil.
1962
Without the need for golden generations, Chile fulfilled its most brilliant role in a FIFA World Cup by being a semi-finalist and finishing third in the event that it organized in 1962. There was not a single opening match because on May 30, in unified time, the World Cup began with four duels. The venue opened that day and beat Switzerland 3-1. In Santiago Leonel Sánchez (44 and 55 minutes) and Jaime Ramírez (51) were the red scorers.
1966
In England 1966 they returned to the single game to open the World Cup and the English were in that duel. At Wembley, on June 11, the local offense could not beat a young 21-year-old goalkeeper: Ladislao Mazurkiewicz. Thus, Uruguay debuted against the local with a 0-0. After five editions in a row, the host country won the Jules Rimet Cup.
1970
On May 31, the 1970 World Cup in Mexico was inaugurated in the colossal Azteca stadium. There was only one match on the opening day; the tournament restarted 48 hours later. The World Cup, which was characterized as a celebration of offensive football, had a duel that ended 0-0 between the Mexicans and the Soviet Union. The locals said goodbye to the championship in the quarterfinals.
1974
On June 14, 1974, 24 hours after Brazil and the now defunct Yugoslavia opened the World Cup played in Federal Germany with a boring 0-0, the locals made their debut. The local team defeated Chile 1-0 in Munich with a goal from Paul Breitner (minute 18). In the final, the hosts kept the new FIFA trophy after beating Johan Cruyff’s Netherlands 2-1.
1978
On Thursday, June 1, 1978, with a Federal Germany 0, Poland 0 in the opening game, the World Cup was kicked off, which was hosted by Argentina. The locals, who finished as champions, made their debut on June 2 at the Monumental stadium, in Buenos Aires, and with a comeback they beat Hungary 2-1, with goals from Leopoldo Luque (15 minutes) and Daniel Bertoni (83) .
1982
Spain waited until June 16, 1982, 72 hours after the opening match (Belgium 1, Argentina 0) to play for the first time in the World Cup it organized. At the Luis Casanova stadium in Valencia, Roberto López Ufarte, at 65 minutes, prevented the host’s defeat against Honduras, who took the lead with a goal from Héctor Zelaya at 7 minutes (1-1). The Spanish did not overcome the previous round to the semifinals.
1986
Mexico was the first country to host the World Cup twice. And again it was the Azteca stadium that received the opening match on May 31, 1986, with the host absent (Italy 1, Bulgaria 1). Mexico, which could not be champion, debuted on June 3 with a 2-1 victory over Belgium.
1990
Salvatore Schillaci at minute 78 scored the winning goal for Italy 1-0 over Austria, at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, in the home owners’ opening match at the 1990 World Cup in Italy. A day earlier, on the 8th of June, the World Cup opened with Cameroon’s 1-0 win over Argentina. The Italians had to settle for the bronze medals.
1994
On June 17, 1994, at 3:00 p.m., Germany beat Bolivia 1-0 in the first game of the World Cup in the United States. It was only on June 22 that the US team debuted with a resounding 2-1 victory over Colombia, in Los Angeles. Andrés Escobar, against (35 minutes) and Earnie Stewart (52) scored the local goals; discounted Adolfo Valencia (90). In the round of 16, the USA was dispatched.
1998
The first match of the 1998 World Cup in France, on June 10, did not have the local among the protagonists (Brazil 2, Scotland 1). The French debuted on June 12 with a 3-0 win over South Africa; At 36 minutes Cristophe Dugarry opened the account, increased Pierre Issa, at 77 (against) and sentenced Thierry Henry in the second minute of added time. After four consecutive editions without the Olympic lap as World Cup champion, it was given by the owner of the house.
2002
The first World Cup that had shared organization and headquarters, that of Japan-South Korea, was inaugurated on Friday, May 31, 2002 on South Korean soil. The two Asian hosts made their debut on Tuesday, June 4. In Saitama, the Japanese did not pass the tie at 2 with Belgium; while, in Busan, South Korea (the one that came the farthest from both venues, finishing fourth) beat Poland 2-0.
2006
FIFA, in its umpteenth change regarding the opening matches of a World Cup, determined that Germany 2006 would have the host in the first to be played. Thus, on June 9, the World Cup opened with the German victory 4-2 over Costa Rica with goals from Miroslav Klose (2), Philipp Lahm and Torsten Frings. On the same day, but three hours later, Ecuador debuted with a 2-0 win over Poland. The title went to Italy.
2010
On June 1, 2010, South Africa, the host country, opened the World Cup. The result was a 1-1 draw. The South Africans became the first hosts not to advance to the round of a FIFA World Cup. The champion was Spain, who beat the Netherlands 1-0 in the final.
2014
Brazil hosted the World Cup in 2014 and in Sao Paulo he starred in the first game of the competition. In that match held on June 12, the Auriverde defeated Croatia 3-1 with goals from Neymar (28 and 70 minutes) and Óscar (90). Germany became the first European team to win a World Cup when it played in an American country.
2018
On Thursday, June 14, Russia, the host and Saudi Arabia opened the 2018 World Cup with the only match of the day, played at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. The Russians thrashed 5-0 in what is to date the second largest score achieved by a local in their debut commitment in the World Cup. (D)
Source: Eluniverso
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