DURO’S DOHA DIARY 

I just hope my wife is not reading me this morning.  After over three weeks of eating hotel meals and getting bored, my craving for Nigerian meals became real. The adventure to sample Nigeria’s local delicacies here in Doha took the better part of the first two free days of no matches. As it is common in countries where Nigerians are few and in between, locating restaurants to eat our meals wasn’t an easy task. However, a Nigerian resident here offered a solution. He directed this reporter and another colleague to a Nigerian lady whose job is to cook any of our meals or soups for a fee. Of course, we traced her and a deal was reached to prepare two pots of Egusi and Okro respectively. As is typical of Naija men, we demanded that the soups be rich in the usual condiments: Fish, goat meat, orishirishi (cow leg, ponmo, shaki, etc). Our ‘contractor’ said it was no problem as she was even going to add stock-fish and shrimp for us. We then asked her how much was her bill. “It is not much. Each pot will cost you 300 riyals plus 50 riyals for Uber to bring the soups to your hotel.” At 1 riyal to N122, we were going to pay her N79,000 for the two pots barely enough to last two days. Wraps of Poundo and Semovita attracted different fees. Don’t ask me if I ordered the meal. Madam is reading this and I do not want increase in cost of upkeep at home in Lagos 

Death and Sports Journalists Here 

It is no longer news that an American journalist, Grant Wahl, died here late on Friday night after suffering what doctors termed “acute distress” while covering the World Cup match between the Netherlands and Argentina at the Lusail Stadium. 

What most people didn’t know was that before Wahl’s death, there have been almost four near death situations due to similar exhaustions. At the Main Media Centre inside the Qatar National Convention Centre, there were three cases of sports journalists collapsing and rushed to the Medical Unit here. Two Ghanaians, One Senegalese and another Cameroonian journalist had similar cases of exhaustion and had to stay on bed rest. A Nigerian official with FIFA came to the rescue of one of the Senegalese who slumped and hit his head on the hard floor. He ordered he be taken to hospital facility where the reporter was placed on oxygen and treated for exhaustion. A Nigerian journalist battled stress-related illness for almost four days before he could return to the beat. Asked what was his problem, he attributed the hundreds of kilometres of walking around stadiums and metro stations for the exhaustion being experienced by journalists here. “We have been to several World Cups in the past but the kilometres of walking we do here compares to no other before this tournament. It is good for our health due to our sedentary life of sitting in front of computers, this one here is aseju, meaning in excess. 

Morocco, the New Face of Africa 

Those who coined that phrase “Success have many relations,” perhaps had Morocco in mind when composing it. Following the beautiful run of the Atlas Lions at this tournament in Qatar, every African here today is a Moroccan! We have all appropriated that North African country as the face of Africa and are glad to identify with their success so far. It doesn’t matter that Morocco see herself first as Arab and Muslim country, we are comfortable with the fact that they are on the African map and a member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Even citizens of Algeria that are barely on talking terms with Morocco are here celebrating their successes so far, becoming the first team from the continent to make it to the semi-final of the World Cup. Inside Metro, at Fan Fests, on the streets and in malls, every African takes pride in waving the Moroccan flag and dance to the drumbeats and songs of fans celebrating the feats of the Atlas Lions. However, we are not the only ones doing this. Almost all the Arab fans here have joined us in identifying the Atlas Lions as our worthy ambassadors.  Even if Morocco fail to make it to the final on Wednesday when they face defending champions France, they have created a piece of history and brought honour to Africa. By the way, reaching the semi-final and playing in the Third Place match on Saturday (that is if they fail to beat France) will guarantee them a whopping $25million (about N11.1billion)! Think about what the Nigeria Football Federation could have done with this money if only …… 

Petkovic: Croatia Have No Need to Delegate a Defender on Messi 

Croatia will not attempt to stop Argentina superstar, Lionel Messi, by man-marking him but instead will focus on immobilising the entire team in their World Cup semi-final on Tuesday. 

Speaking at a pre-match conference on Sunday here, Croatia striker, Bruno Petkovic, insisted the 2018 finalists said their game plan is not on any specific player but the entire Argentina squad on the field. 

Croatia are bidding to make it to the final for the second World Cup in a row after losing four years ago to France in Russia. 

They stunned tournament favourites Brazil in the quarterfinals after going a goal down in extra-time but dug deep to bounce back with a late equaliser and force a penalty shootout that they ended up winning. 

“We don’t have a specific plan yet for stopping Messi and usually we don’t concentrate on stopping one player but the entire team,” striker Bruno Petkovic told a news conference on Sunday. 

“We will try to stop them as a team and not with man-marking. Argentina are not only Messi; they have a number of great players. We have to stop the entire Argentina team,” he said. 

Seven-time Ballon D’Or winner Messi has so far been the driving force for the Argentines, who also needed penalties after squandering a two-goal lead against the Dutch in their quarterfinal. 

With no players suspended and no injury concerns following the return of Croatia defender Borna Sosa, Coach Zlatko Dalic’s team is brimming with confidence and ready for more. 

Their midfield comprising Captain Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic will be key to dictating the pace, as they did against Brazil, and defender Josip Juranovic said the three were utterly dependable. 

“Mateo, Luka and Marcelo are the best Croatia midfield in history. I don’t think it can be repeated. When you pass them the ball it is safer than having your money in the bank,” the defender said. 

Super-sub Petkovic scored the 117th-minute equaliser against Brazil to force penalties, with Croatia having now won all four of the shootouts they have taken part in at World Cups. 

“I think many people who are not professional footballers can take successful penalties,” Petkovic said. “The difference is how mentally tough you are. There is huge pressure you have never experienced before. But it also helps when you have a world class keeper.” 

Keeper Dominik Livakovic saved one spot kick against Brazil after also saving three in their Round of 16 shootouts against Japan. 

But it was Petkovic’s dramatic equaliser after Brazil’s extra-time lead that carried them to the shootout. 

“I am becoming more and more aware of the magnitude of this goal with each passing day,” Petkovic said. “Maybe I’ll experience something similar in the semi-final or beyond.”