Mexico and Poland play out 0-0 draw at World Cup
Doha, Nov 22: Robert Lewandowski's second-half penalty attempt was saved by Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, leaving Poland to settle for a 0-0 draw Tuesday at the World Cup.
It was Lewandowski's first penalty miss for the national team. Poland's all-time leading scorer with 76 goals remains without a World Cup goal.
Lewandowski was awarded the penalty following a VAR review after Hector Moreno got hold of his shirt and pulled him down.
Ochoa, playing in his fifth World Cup, came up yelling in celebration after his stop, sending the crowd into chants of "Memo!"
While Mexico dominated possession, Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny turned away all three of El Tri's shots on goal.
The scoreless draw was a good result for Argentina, which was upset by Saudi Arabia 2-1 in an earlier Group C match. The Argentines, led by Lionel Messi, were widely considered to be the favourites to advance.
Mexico has made it to the knockout round in the last seven World Cups, but the "quinto partido," or fifth game, has eluded the team.
El Tri's best showing at the World Cup was reaching the quarterfinals in 1970 and 1986 as hosts.
Poland was making its second straight World Cup appearance. The team was eliminated in the group stage in 2018.
Jorge Sanchez had a good chance for Mexico in the 44th minute but Szczesny, who plays for Juventus, pushed it over the crossbar.
It was Ochoa's denial of Lewandowski, who moved from Bayern Munich to Barcelona this season and has 13 goals in 14 appearances, that brought the stadium filled with mostly green jerseys to their feet.
It wasn't the first time Ochoa had come up big on football's biggest stage: In 2014 he made six saves in a scoreless draw with Brazil, which was among the favorites as the tournament's host. He even denied Brazil striker Neymar on a header and afterward called it the "game of a lifetime."
El Tri has been dogged by criticism heading into the World Cup.
Mexico's all-time leading scorer, Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez, was left off the roster for Qatar by coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino. Hernandez, who currently plays for the LA Galaxy, had played in the last three World Cups, but hasn't appeared with the national team since 2019.
Martino was also criticised for including Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Raul Jimenez, who has struggled with a groin injury. Replaced by Henty Martin to start, Jimenez came in as a substitute in the second half.
The match was played at 974 Stadium, named after Qatar's country code. The stadium was built from old shipping containers and will be eventually dismantled Qatar's solution to the "white elephant" stadiums that went largely unused after other World Cups.
There was also history made. Stephanie Frappart of France became the first woman to officiate a men's World Cup match, serving as the fourth official.
Frappart joins Japan's Yamashita Yoshimi and Rwanda's Salima Mukansanga among the 36 referees selected for the tournament.
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Punjab CM Mann lays foundation stone of Rs 14.63 crore sports stadium in Sangrur
Sangrur (PTI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday laid the foundation stone of a Rs 14.63 crore modern sports stadium here, underscoring that expanding access to quality playgrounds alongside a strong education system is key to steering the youth towards "purpose, performance, and global achievement".
The stadium coming up on 4.38 acres in Satouj will offer professional training and host a wide range of sports including badminton, handball, judo, netball, basketball, volleyball, football, gymnastics, kabaddi and karate, according to an official release.
"It is a historic day for the region as this stadium is coming up at a cost of Rs 14.63 crore. This stadium will be constructed over an area of 4.38 acres, and the complex will host various sporting activities," Mann said.
"The stadium will have a 200-metre athletic track, pavilion for spectators and players and a multipurpose indoor sports hall," he said.
While highlighting the wide range of facilities being created, Mann said professional training opportunities will be provided to children and youngsters in the stadium, adding that this project will ensure that the area emerges as a sports hub.
Emphasising the importance of balanced development, he said, "When there is a good school for education and a proper ground for sports, a child can bring glory to their village, state, and country on the global stage."
Reaffirming the Punjab government's focus on youth development, Mann said, "It is a matter of immense pride and satisfaction that the Punjab government is successfully providing world-class facilities for education and sports."
This project will help in further breaking the backbone of drugs by fostering sporting culture in the state, and it will help in channelising the unbounded energy of youth of state in a positive manner, he said.
Such stadiums will play an important role in helping the youth stay away from the curse of drugs and in order to encourage the youngsters to realise their dreams of winning medals in national and international sporting events, the CM said.
Later, Mann launched an ultra-modern community health centre here that aims to benefit the residents of 85 villages. It is equipped with round-the-clock emergency services, surgical facilities, treatment for serious illnesses and specialist care for children, he said.
Mann alleged that previous governments neglected regions like Dirba and kept development restricted. He said his government is reversing this by investing public money back into villages through hospitals, schools, libraries and roads.
"To impart quality health services to people, we have dedicated the CHC at village Kauhrian... This ambitious project has been completed at a cost of Rs 13.23 crore and the centre has a capacity of 30 beds," he said.
He further noted, "The CHC will also have paediatric specialists for treating children's diseases, and free treatment along with all necessary tests for mothers and children will be provided."
Mann added that dental treatment will also be provided by a specialist at the facility.
