With the match between Qatar and Ecuador, the World Cup 2022 officially kicks off on Sunday. This match is interesting not only because it is the opening game, but also because they are two teams in the pool of Netherlands. The big question is: How good are Qatar and Ecuador really?
With Senegal, the winner of the Africa Cup, the Netherlands will meet at least one tough opponent. Hosts Qatar and Ecuador are perhaps less appealing names, but underestimating them would be unwise. Both countries have shown excellent form in the past year. For example, Qatar won the four most recent matches it played.
Qatar are currently ranked No. 50 in the FIFA world rankings. Normally not a country to worry about, but the Arab nation has been making great strides over the past few years. In one year, Qatar played 14 matches and of those, they won no less than 10. Only twice did they lose and especially defensively the team impressed. In those 14 games it conceded only 9 goals. An average of just 0.6 goals per game.
In comparison, the Netherlands last year conceded an average of 1 goal per game. But Qatar are not just a defensive team. Over the course of the 14 aforementioned games Qatar scored 22 goals (1.6 goals per game). While Qatar is certainly a country to be reckoned with, Ecuador have also had an excellent year. They played 12 matches this year and lost and only 1.
Ecuador are the kings of ties. Over the past 12 games they drew 8. Whereas Qatar had significantly lesser opponents in comparison to the Netherlands, the resistance for Ecuador was quite similar in strength. The South Americans held the likes of Japan, Mexico, Argentina and Brazil to a draw. Not only Qatar know how to put up a defense, Ecuador have elevated achieving clean sheets to an art.
In fact, the number 44 in the FIFA world rankings have already kept clean sheets for 6 (!) matches in a row to keep the zero. Like Qatar, it averages 0.6 goals against per game, but only makes 0.6 per game itself. Qatar and Ecuador have faced each other three times before in history and the results show two evenly matched sides: both nations won once, with the remaining match ending all square.
Under current national coach Félix Sánchez, Qatar have won 50% of the matches, while Gustavo Alfaro won only 34%. Still, Ecuador are the favourites with the bookmakers, with an odd of 2.40. Betting on Qatar can earn you 3.20 times your stake odds. A draw stands at 3.10.
| Prediction | Odd |
| Match ends in 0-0 | 6.50 |
| Ecuador keeps a clean sheet | 2.37 |
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