Long before the final whistle at the spectacular Bedouin tent-inspired Al Bayt Stadium, the host nation's fans among the 67,372 crowd had started heading for the exits.

The exodus began soon after Ecuador striker Enner Valencia headed his second goal shortly after the half-hour mark against the outclassed World Cup hosts.

As the second half wore on, swaths of unfilled seats could be seen throughout the arena as an evening that began with joyous celebrations and heady optimism ended with a whimper.

The downbeat finale was in stark contrast to the mood in the hours before kick-off at the stadium in Al Khor, 50 kilometers north of Qatar's capital Doha.

Thousands of people arrived at the vast Lusail train station where the subway line built especially for this tournament at a cost of US$36 billion ends and spectators boarded a fleet of buses for the final leg of their journey.

The security forces appeared tense, aware that the eyes of the world are on this Gulf state, which many critics say should never have been awarded the World Cup.

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