Oliseh went on to predict that as the tournament progresses, fans at the Mundial will see teams become a bit braver
By Kehinde Okeowo
Former Super Eagles captain, Sunday Oliseh, who is currently in Qatar as a member of FIFA’s technical study group, has explained why the 2022 edition of the World Cup has recorded several goalless draws.
There have been 5 goalless draws in the opening matches, the last being last Friday’s stalemate between England and the United States in their second game of the tournament.
The record for the highest number of 0-0 draws at any World Cup stands at seven and happened at four different editions of the Mundial, but Qatar 2022 is just three more goalless draws from beating this record.
At the last World Cup in Russia, there was a single goalless draw, when Denmark and France failed to produce goals in a group phase clash.
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Analysing the competition at a news briefing on Saturday, Oliseh stated that the goalless draws recorded at the ongoing World Cup have to do with the cautious approach employed by many teams in the opening phase of the competition.
“Teams have not wanted to take too much of a risk,” he said.
“Past data shows that some 70 per cent of teams who lose their first game at a World Cup go out after the first round and I think teams are aware of that,” Oliseh added.
His view was supported by another member of FIFA’s technical study group, Alberto Zaccheroni, who won Serie A with AC Milan.
He said, “Clearly many teams are relying on a cautious approach.
“There were a number of teams who fielded five defenders and played very tight and compact. They wanted to assure a minimum of a point from their opening game and if a chance came along try and grab it to win the game.”
Oliseh, who once coached the Super Eagles went on to say he expects the high intensity currently on display at the tournament to continue despite the energy-sapping schedule at the group stages.
“But as the tournament progresses we will see teams become a bit braver,” Oliseh predicted.
“This is a very different World Cup in that players get to sleep in the same bed every night and each team has its own base. There is no traveling from one venue to a different venue.
“It’s like they are all playing at home. They are not facing the fatigue that comes with constant travelling around and I don’t see the players getting tired any time soon,” he added.
