20th November 2022 – 17:00, Al Bayt, Al Khor
Qatar and Ecuador will kick off the World Cup 2022 with a Sunday afternoon clash. Both teams will search for a positive result that can increase their chances of securing the top-two finish.
Qatar Preview & Team News
Felix Sanchez’s men have beaten Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and Albania in non-FIFA friendlies, but the game against La Tri will be anything but a walk in the park for the home side. It is Qatar’s premier participation in the World Cup, and they don’t want to be just a generous host. Although they haven’t faced top-class national teams, the hosts head to this match after four straight wins. The man to watch in the home team will be Al-Duhail striker Almoez Ali, who has scored 42 goals in 85 appearances for the national team. We will see the capabilities of this national team against a very tricky South American representative.
Ecuador Preview & Team News
Ecuador managed to secure a ticket for the final tournament after finishing fourth in the CONMEBOL zone. However, the main issue on paper for Ecuador is scoring goals. Although they enjoy a seven-game unbeatable streak, the visitors scored only three goals during that period. Their defense has been rock-solid, but the last three games ended in goalless draws. Enner Valencia, 33, is the only recent call-up to score in double figures for his country. The former Everton and West Ham footballer scored 35 goals in 74 games, and the closest is Michael Estrada with eight goals in 35 appearances, followed by Angel Mena with 46 games and seven goals. Some major players are missing because of injury, though, so it will be interesting to see if the replacements can step up on the world stage.
Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction
It is going to be a close encounter, and although Ecuador is a more reputable team, the hosts won’t surrender easily. Nevertheless, the South American team has more experience in these games, and we believe they will celebrate a victory.
Goals Market Prediction
Thirteen of Ecuador’s last 14 matches stayed under a 2.5 margin, while no more than two goals were scored three times in Qatar’s previous four games. It is going to be another low-scoring game with two goals at most, but we also think Ecuador will keep the clean sheet for the seventh time in a row.
Qatar vs Ecuador
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