FIFA World Cup 2022: Facts and Stats after the first round of matches

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All 32 teams have got an exposure of the FIFA World Cup 2022 so far. The first round of the group stage matches were concluded yesterday as Brazil secured a 2-0 win over Serbia, as it started with Ecuador's 2-0 victory over host nation Qatar.

We have already seen some great moments, from joyous celebration to despair in some camps as we gear up for the remainder of the tournament. And our eyes have captured a host of facts and unique numbers in the last six days. Here is a gist of that -

Upsets of World Cup 2022:

FIFA World Cup 2022 has seen two major upsets so far after the first round of fixtures.

A spirited Saudi Arabia side toppled one of the tournament favourites Argentina as the Arab nation went on to win 2-1 in a thrilling encounter. Lionel Messi got his goal, but was left bemused after his Albicelestes slipped to a loss in the first match.

Another tournament favourites were left bamboozled by yet another Asian country as Japan overcame Germany with the same scoreline of 2-1. Yet again, the favourites took the leaf but the minnows came back with a spirited second half display. Both of the Japanese goalscorers ply their club football trade in Germany, that's adding onsult to the German wounds.

Goals, not so much:

• There were four goalless draws in the first round of fixtures. That's 25% of the total matches, which is the highest number of draws in any World Cup.
  
  
• Eight teams- Mexico, Poland, Denmark, Tunisia, Uruguay, Korea Republic, Morocco, Croatia have gone blank in their first match. This is also the most number of teams not scoring a goal in their tournament opener in any World Cup.
  
  
• Uruguay and South Korea saw a total of 1 shot on target in the entire match. None of the match in the World Cup has been this barren since 1986, when Denmark and Scotland registered 1 shot in the entire match.
  
  
• England and Spain registered their biggest victory in the tournament openers, as England beat Iran 6-2 and Spain thumped Costa Rica 7-0.
  
  

Total Goals:

A total of 41 goals have been scored in the first 16 matches. 25 of those goals have come in just 4 matches.

Leading the Race:

Six players are tied on 2 goals in the Golden Boot race - Bukayo Saka (England), Olivier Giroud (France), Enner Valencia (Ecuador), Ferran Torres (Spain), Richarlison (Brazil), and Mehdi Taremi (Iran).

Bruno Fernandes and Harry Kane lead the assist chart with 2 assists each.

Other Stats:

• Cristiano Ronaldo's long records list added another feather to it as he became the only man in history score in 5 World Cups. The Portuguese has scored in every World Cup since 2006. He also joined the list of Lothar Matthaus, Lionel Messi, Antonio Carbajal and Rafael Marquez to play in 5 World Cups.

• Uruguay went 465 minutes without conceding a goal in the Group Stage matches. The last time they conceded in a group-stage game was in 2014 when Wayne Rooney scored for England.
• Gavi became the second youngest player to score a World Cup goal at the age of 18 years and 110 days. Only Pele has scored younger in the World Cups, back in 1958 at the age of 17 years 249 days.
• Japan's comeback win against Germany was their first in history. Previously, they have gone 9 games winless in the World Cup after conceding a goal first.
• Cameroon's loss against Switzerland means they are now with the second longest losing streak in World Cup history. Mexico have the most with 9.