Things move a little slower here on a Friday. With the working week running from Sunday to Thursday, Friday is the Muslim holy day, a time for gathering, for congregation at places of worship.
In itself, it leaves the crowds feeling a little thinned out. But with Friday night rounding off the group stages of Qatar’s World Cup and the final four sides sent home to leave just 16 remaining, the streets of Doha really felt a bit emptier.
But in one corner at least, a crowd had assembled. They’d gathered on this holy day to delve into the miracle of the 2022 World Cup — that Australia remain when half of the world has been forced to leave. The Socceroos are still standing and the global media wanted to know how in the name of hell that came to be.
