The first day of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar is behind us. Ecuador won against the host nation at 2:0 in the tournament’s opening match! The Qataris played like they wanted to appease their opponent but managed to fall asleep themselves. Enner Valencia put the hosts in a complicated situation now, and with two goals scored against them, he’s become a recent Ecuador hero. 

 

Let’s find out what the game’s outcome is to help you choose the best betting strategies for the upcoming games in Group A of the FIFA World Cup Finals.

FIFA World Cup GROUP A: Qatar vs Ecuador 0:2 (Sunday, 20.11.22)

Goals: Valencia 16′, 32′

Yellow Cards: Al Sheeb, Almoez Ali, Boudiaf, Afif – Caicedo, Mendez

Qatar: Al Sheeb – Al Rawl – Khoukhi – Hassan – Pedro Miguel – Boudiaf – Hatem – Ahmed – Al Haydos (Waad 72′) – Almoez (Muntari 72′) – Afif

Ecuador: Galindez – Estupian – Hincapie – Torres – Preciado – Ibarra Mina (Sarmiento 68′) – Caicedo (Franco 90′) – Mendez – Plata – Estrada (Rodriguez 90′) – Valencia (Cifuentes 77′)

 

Group A standings

Pos.	Country	Played	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1.	Ecuador	1	1	0	0	+2	3
2.	Senegal	0	0	0	0	0	0
3.	Netherlands	0	0	0	0	0	0
4.	Qatar	1	0	0	1	-2	0

 

Qatar vs Ecuador, The Game – analysis

As early as the third minute, it was the South American team that enjoyed Enner Valencia’s goal. However, the joy did not last long because an off-side was spotted after a VAR analysis. The situation initially caused huge controversy, but the referees’ decision was correct. 

The Qatari goalkeeper did not show off in this situation. He also intervened badly in the 15th minute in a one-on-one situation when he fouled Ecuadorian forward Valencia in the penalty box. The result of his action was obvious: a penalty kick for Ecuador, which Valencia converted into a goal himself. 

It was the first opening goal of the first match of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. 

The dominance of the Ecuadorians in the first half of the match was unquestionable. They were a class above their rivals. This resulted in a second goal in the 31st minute of the game. Valencia put the ball into the net again, this time from Angelo Preciado’s cross from the right side of the pitch. It was Valencia’s 37th goal for his country and his 5th at the FIFA World Cup tournaments.   

Very little happened on the pitch during the second half. The Ecuadorians seemed content with a two-goal lead, and their goalkeeper practically did not have to exert himself much throughout the match. Only in the 86th minute did things get heated when Muntari struck just over the goal, but the result didn’t change until the end of the game.

 

Qatar – analysis

The Qataris (50th in the FIFA World Ranking) had high hopes of making it out of their Group with Ecuador, Senegal and the Netherlands before the World Cup kick-off. However, their dreams were very quickly verified in the opening match. 

They opened the game with five men playing at the back. Le’s be honest; it’s never an indicator of optimistic outcomes. It got worse from there. “Al-Annabi” were totally dismantled by Ecuador. The Qataris did not have a single shot on target throughout the 90 minutes and only had three touches inside the opposition penalty box. 

“There’s no excuse. We had a terrible start,” Qatar coach Felix Sanchez said after the game.“There’s a lot of room for improvement,” he added. “We did not play at our best.”

Football life will be challenging for the Qataris, who have two remaining games against the Netherlands and Senegal. We don’t give them too much hope, and one point gained against Senegal would be their massive success. The Netherlands seem to be out of reach here. 

Qataris became the first hosts to lose an opening game for the first time in the FIFA World Cup Finals history.

 

Qatar’s remaining Group A games and the latest betting odds

Qatar vs Senegal

Date: Friday, November 25

Venue: Al Thumama Stadium

Qatar vs Netherlands

Date: Wednesday, November 30

Venue: Al Bayt Stadium

1). Qatar to win the FIFA World Cup: 500/1.

2). Qatar to win Group A: 50/1

3). Qatar to reach the quarter-final: 100/1

4). Qatar to reach the semi-final: 250/1

5). Qatar to reach the final: 450/1

6). Almoez Ali to win FIFA World Cup Golden Boot: 350/1

NOTE: The average odds comparison, source – oddschecker.com. The odds are valid on the day of the article’s publication and may be subject to change during the tournament. 

 

Ecuador – analysis

The Ecuadorians (44th in the FIFA World Ranking) scored more than one goal for the first time in over a year. 

We picked out Enner Valencia as the key figure in the Ecuadorian squad heading into the FIFA World Cup, and he lived up to our expectations with his match-winning contributions on Sunday. 

The former West Ham United striker won and scored the penalty to give Ecuador a precious lead in the game. He showed no hint of nerves despite the pressure on his shoulders. And his full of power brilliantly-taken header, which gave the Ecuadorians a two-goal lead over the Qataris, proved his incredible scoring abilities. 

The main worry for Ecuador now is Valencia’s injury which he picked up in the first half of the game. He was able to continue after that but had an ice pack strapped to his knee when he eventually went off. His absence in the next match against the Netherlands would be a massive blow for ‘La Tris’.

 

Ecuador’s remaining Group A games and the latest betting odds

Ecuador vs Netherlands

Date: Friday, November 25

Venue: Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan

Ecuador vs Senegal

Date: Tuesday, November 29

Venue: Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan

1). Ecuador to win the FIFA World Cup: 150/1

2). Ecuador to win Group A: 11/2

3). Ecuador to reach the quarter-final: 6/1

4). Ecuador to reach the semi-final: 22/1

5). Ecuador to reach the final: 150/1

6). Enner Valencia to win World Cup Golden Boot: 200/1

PLEASE NOTE: The average odds comparison, source – oddschecker.com. The odds are valid on the day of the article’s publication and may be subject to change during the tournament.

 

Summary

The total of 11 shots throughout the match has been the lowest in a World Cup game since 1966. For Ecuador, though, it was the perfect start ahead of more challenging matches against their Group rivals, Netherlands and Senegal. Their chances of progressing to the tournament’s knockout stages have risen high. 

If you plan to bet on Ecuador to progress to the last 16, don’t forget to refer to our latest betting odds on www.betfinal.com 

Here are some of the game’s statistics:

Possession of the ball: Qatar 47%-53% Ecuador

Shots: Qatar 5-6 Ecuador

Shots on target: Qatar 0-3 Ecuador

Corners: Qatar 1-3 Ecuador

Fouls: Qatar 15-15 Ecuador

Football online betting has never been easier and more exciting with Betfinal. We try to offer our players the best FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar betting odds. We’re here to help you choose your best betting World Cup strategies possible.

So, get ready for the upcoming games and look for the best World Cup betting tips at the Betfinal blog. Stay tuned for the FIFA World Cup Finals betting tips when the time rolls around.

Have fun and bet wisely with the best World Cup betting odds at your favourite betting site, betfinal.com.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1). When and where is the 2022 World Cup?

Qatar will host the 2022 Fifa World Cup this winter, the first to be organised by an Arab country and the second held entirely in Asia. It is the 22nd edition of the tournament, which began way back in 1930. 

The event starts on Sunday, November 20, with a match between Qatar and Ecuador.

The Final (and 64th match) will kick-off in Lusail on Qatar National Day,  Sunday, December 18, 2022.

• November 20: Opening match of 2022 World Cup (Qatar v Ecuador)
• December 2: Group phase concludes
• December 3-6: Round of 16
• December 9-10: Quarterfinals
• December 13-14: Semifinals
• December 17: Third Place Match
• December 18: Final

2). Who is in the World Cup 2022 Finals?

A total of 32 teams compete in the FIFA World Cup. 31 of them must qualify for the tournament, with Qatar qualifying automatically as a host. There are 13 nations from Europe, 4 from South America, 4 from Asia, 5 from Africa, 4 from North America, and Australia, which is a member of the Asian confederation.

• Host: Qatar

• Europe: Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Wales.
• The rest of the world: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico, Ecuador, USA, Canada, Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon, Morocco, Tunisia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Japan, Costa Rica and Australia.

3). Why is the World Cup in November?

This year’s World Cup has been scheduled for November and December, unlike in the usual June and July window. This has been done to combat the fierce Qatari summer heat, which is often more than 40°C during the period. The average temperature in November is 24°C and 21°C in December.

4). Are tickets for the World Cup 2022 available?

Tickets are available through the official FIFA website, with more than 800,000 tournament tickets sold during the first and second phases, which have already been gone. 

The online Last Minute Sales on a “first come, first served”  basis is currently open and will run until the end of the FIFA World Cup on 18 December. 

5). How much does a final World Cup ticket cost?

Four categories of tickets are made available to supporters wanting to attend the World Cup in Qatar.

• Category 1 – is the highest priced, located in prime areas within the stadium.
• Category 2 and Category 3 – are seating areas within the stadium offering a less-premium view of the action.
• Category 4 – is a seating area within the stadium reserved exclusively for residents of Qatar. 

All tickets are sold in Qatari riyal to both residents of Qatar and international fans, with prices ranging from 40 riyals ($11) to 5,850 riyals ($1,607). 

Published: November 2022

By: Rafa