Qatar's first ever World Cup match ended in dismay for an overmatched team and with a place in unwanted soccer history.

The controversy-laced tournament opened Sunday with Qatar getting outplayed and embarrassed in a 2-0 loss to Ecuador in front of 67,372 fans at Al Bayt Stadium.

In 92 years of soccer's biggest event, a host team had never lost its opening game.

The first World Cup in the Middle East is a chance for Qatar, a tiny Arab country jutting out into the Persian Gulf, to showcase itself to the wider world. Its soccer team, playing at this level for the first time by virtue of hosting the tournament, couldn't live up to the moment as Ecuador captain Enner Valencia scored both goals in the first half.

Qatar’s defeat was ensured in the first half when Ecuador skipper Enner Valencia scored a brace, with the first goal coming from the spot.

Qatar became the first host nation to lose its opening game of a World Cup after it fell to a ___ defeat at the hands of Ecuador at the Al Bayt stadium on Sunday.

Of the 22 previous host nations, 16 of them secured in winning their first game, while six had to resign for a draw.

Qatar’s defeat was ensured in the first half when Ecuador skipper Enner Valencia scored a brace, with the first goal coming from the spot.

This was after Valencia was denied, momentarily, the first goal of the tournament after a delayed and potentially contentious offside call.

Qatar also became the third nation to host the tournament on its World Cup debut, after Uruguay in 1930 and Italy in 1934.