FIFA World Cup 2018: Why the final group games are played simultaneously
The 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia has been in full swing for the past one week. Many upsets were witnessed in the opening group games with debutants Iceland holding Argentina to a 1-1 draw, Germany losing to Mexico and Japan defeating Colombia to become the first Asian team to beat a South American side at the World Cup.
The final group games will start from Monday with Russia facing Uruguay and Saudi Arabia going up against Egypt in Group A. One peculiar feature about these fixtures is that they will kick-off simultaneously at 7:30 PM (IST). All final group games will have a simultaneous kick-off and the reason for this dates back to the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain.
Football's mega event in 1982 saw African nation Algeria making their World Cup debut and their run of good form didn't stop as they went on to defeat West Germany in the opening game and shocked the entire world. After losing to Austria in their next game and winning the final group game against Chile, Algeria looked all set to make it to the second round, however, a disgraceful collusion between West Germany and Austria saw the debutant African nation eliminated from the first group stage.
Disgrace of Gijón
West Germany faced Austria in their final group game on the 25th of June, 1982 at El Molinon, Gijón. Algeria had already played their final game against Chile a day before and were in second position behind Austria with 4 points. Algeria looked in a good position as an Austrian victory or draw would've ensured them a place in the second round along with Austria and a West German victory by 3 goals or more would've seen them qualify with West Germany.
The opening 10 minutes of the match saw an attacking West German side take the lead through a goal by Horst Hrubesch. After West Germany scored both teams started passing the ball around in their own half and never looked like making an attacking move. They often passed the ball back to the goalkeeper and played inconsequential long balls into the opposition half. Both teams took shots with no attempt at accuracy and the only players who looked like making an effort were Austrian striker Walter Schachner and West German defensive midfielder Wolfgang Dremmler.
The game ended 1-0 and the collusion between West Germans and Austrians was clearly visible as many commentators refused to comment on the game and urged fans to switch off their television sets. The spectators at the stadium were also disgusted by the players' disgraceful display and a set of angry Algerian fans waved banknotes at the players. The Spanish daily newspaper El Comercio printed the match report in the crime section.
With this result, all 3 teams Algeria, Austria and West Germany had 4 points but the latter two progressed to the next stage due to a superior goal difference.
Introduction of simultaneous Kick-offs
In the aftermath of the game, Algerian football federation lodged a complaint to FIFA and believed that referee Bob Valentine should've intervened. However, FIFA found that no rules were broken and refused to take any action.
As a result, from 1984 UEFA Euro and 1986 FIFA World Cup the final group games were played at the same time to avoid any such occurrence in the future.
The simultaneous kick-off time ensures that no team can take unfair advantage of the other group game's result. For example, at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, after Matchday 2 all four teams in Group G were alive and had the chance to progress to the Round of 16. The final group games between Germany and USA and Portugal and Ghana had a simultaneous Kick-off so that no side could benefit from the result of the other game.
The main motive of having simultaneous Kick-offs is to maintain the sanctity of the game and ensure each team is given an equal opportunity to progress to the next stage. Over the years simultaneous kick-offs have also been experimented in domestic leagues if two or more teams are in a winning position on the final Matchday.
courtesy : sportskeeda.com
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Mangaluru man released early from Saudi jail under National Day Amnesty
Mangaluru: A 66-year-old man from Mangaluru, Karnataka, who was serving a three-year jail sentence in Saudi Arabia, has been granted early release under the Kingdom’s National Day amnesty program. The man, identified as Ahmed Imran (name changed), worked as a driver in Jeddah before his arrest in September 2023.
Ahmed’s troubles began during a routine day at work when a neighborhood boy repeatedly harassed him while he was washing his employer’s car. Despite having previously complained to the boy's father about his behavior, no action was taken. Frustrated by the continued disturbances, Ahmed pushed the boy away. However, the boy reported the incident to his father, allegedly exaggerating the events.
The boy’s father lodged a police complaint, which led to Ahmed’s arrest. Following court proceedings, Ahmed was sentenced to three years in jail. Lacking the financial means to hire a defense lawyer, Ahmed was unable to appeal the judgment.
After his sentencing, Ahmed’s family and local leaders from Karnataka reached out for assistance. Dr. & Adv. P.A. Hameed Padubidri, a Riyadh-based pro bono lawyer and social worker originally from Udupi, took up the case. Dr. Hameed and his Saudi legal team worked to resolve the matter, including attempts to negotiate with the complainant. However, these efforts were unsuccessful.
As a final step, Dr. Hameed advised Ahmed’s family to submit a mercy petition to the authorities. Following consistent follow-ups, Ahmed’s case was included in Saudi Arabia's National Day amnesty program, which facilitates the early release of eligible inmates.
Ahmed was released within a year of his sentence, bringing relief to his family in India. Upon his return, he expressed gratitude to his employer in Jeddah and the individuals who assisted him during his ordeal, including Dr. Hameed, K.S. Nasir Asaigoli, a social worker from Mangaluru, and Azhar from Jeddah.
The National Day amnesty program, a regular initiative by Saudi Arabia, offers relief to many individuals, reflecting the Kingdom’s efforts to uphold principles of justice and clemency. Ahmed’s release highlights the importance of community support and legal intervention for expatriates facing challenges abroad.
