Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
While there may have been several goalless draws throughout the World Cup group stages, there were also multiple high-scoring games across all three matchdays. Here is a look at the top three goal fests and which stadium they took place in.
England fans haven't often been treated to the most enthralling of opening-day matchups, with memories of draws against the USA and defeats to Italy fresh in the memory of the Three Lions faithful. However, Gareth Southgate's side bucked the trend in Qatar, with six goals from five different scorers that were enough to down Iran 6-2 and seize early control of Group B. The Khalifa International Stadium in Doha was the venue for that one, boasting an attendance of 45,334.
Fast-forward to the quarter-finals of the competition, and England qualified top of the group before cruising past Senegal in the last 16. Didier Deschamps' France will provide Southgate with his toughest test yet, though, with bookies favouring Les Blues in England vs France betting odds. Record-scorer Olivier Giroud has current odds of 6/1 to register at least one shot on target in each half, although Southgate will be hoping his side will be keeping those to a minimum as the Three Lions eye their third successive semi-final at a major tournament.
Off to a great start. Few thoughts on the World Cup opening game win pic.twitter.com/COyhEO4Oak
— Harry Kane (@HKane) November 21, 2022
The Red Fury announced themselves on the world stage in some style when they demolished Costa Rica on matchday one, with seven goals from six different scorers in Doha's Al Thumama Stadium, which hosted some 40,013 spectators on the night. Aside from the second-highest amount of goals behind England's opener, Spain completed a whopping 93% of their passes in a dominant 82% of possession, a 'tika-taka' trend which would continue throughout the tournament.
However, Spain's journey out of the group was far from simple. Luis Enrique's side threw away a one-goal lead before an eventual 1-1 draw with Germany on matchday two before capitulating even more spectacularly against the Japanese in their final group match. Hajime Moriyasu's giant killers were at it once again after their victory over Germany on opening day, eventually finishing top of Group E ahead of their Spanish rivals. La Furia Roja record by far the most goals in that group, though, which is thanks almost entirely to their opening-day drubbing against Costa Rica.
vs Costa Rica
— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) November 27, 2022
Morata is subbed on
Morata scores
vs Germany
Morata is subbed on
Morata scores
Super sub.pic.twitter.com/yj6BGSLk3b
While Germany's comeback against Costa Rica was another example of six goals scored in a group stage matchup, third place on this list is awarded to Cameroon's thrilling draw with Serbia on matchday two. While, like Germany, neither side managed to qualify beyond the group stages, the 39,789 fans in attendance were treated to a rollercoaster ride in the Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah.
Jean-Charles Castelletto put the Indomitable Lions ahead before Alexsandar Mitrovic's strike turned the game on its head to make it 3-1 to Serbia. However, two goals in three minutes just after the hour mark from Vincent Aboubakar and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting completed a memorable comeback that was celebrated like a victory in the Cameroon camp. Rigobert Song's side came within one goal of qualifying for the knockout stages with a historic win against Brazil on matchday three that saw Aboubakar score and get sent off, although Serbia's failure to draw against Switzerland at the same time saw the latter progress in Cameroon's place.
Vincent Aboubakar earned a WhoScored rating of 8.27 vs Serbia - the best by a sub at #Qatar2022#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/yLzavhLKky
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) November 28, 2022
The Lusail Iconic Stadium will be the host of the final of this winter's showcase footballing event. Regardless of the two teams that will be battling it out in Lusail, fans both in attendance and at home will be hoping for yet more goals in what has been an unprecedented World Cup in Qatar.
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All good things have to come to an end, and the same unfortunately has to be said for football stadiums too. This article looks at the grounds which are soon to host their last match, the stadiums whose days are numbered and where fans will be watching their football from next.
