Qatar is set to play the opening game on Sunday, November 20 against Ecuador as part of a stand-alone event. Now, we will expect to watch the most entertaining and intense match between the first-timer World Cup and the host nation Qatar playing against the experienced 44th rank Ecuador. Home fans are expecting an all-out effort from their national players to clinched the first-ever victory of the national team at the very first appearance on the World football stage. Follow us here for more soccer predictions today!
Though Ecuador had an edge on this game and is expected to advance on the next round – Qatar had also an impressive international experience despite being a first-timer in the World Cup, it is difficult to deny their 2019 Asian Cup title and semi-final appearance of the CONCACAF Gold Cup giving them an enough confidence to give good challenges and possibly making upsets and a Cinderella campaign throughout the prestigious tournament. For more football fixture you can click here!
Each key team player to Watch
Watching the two considerable underdog teams having a head-to-head battle, it is also worth to note and mark up key players from each team. Players who will be giving positive impacts and changes for their respective team and here are the list:
Almoez Ali
This super striker first made contribution and impact to the national team after he helped his U-19 national team clinched the AFC Championship and booked the Qatar national team (2014) U-19 World Cup. His familiarity with European football as he played on various European teams such as Austrian LASK Link and Cultural Leonesa. Then in 2016, he went back home to play in the local league where he led his team, Al Duhail SC to back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018.
He made his history on the national team when he became the pride of a nation after helping Qatar to clinched their first ever major tournament title by winning the Asian Cup way back in 2019.
Now, this year in November he will be the front face to run Qatar National team as a team captain for their first appearance in the FIFA World Cup, doing the best he can to make his home soil and the home fans proud – producing competitive games and competitive results and not just to participate as a host.
Enner Valencia
He is a current team captain of the Ecuador National team for this upcoming FIFA World Cup in November. The 32 years old attacker is currently playing for Fenerbahce and has been a national team member since 2012. He already competed for the Ecuador National team in 2014 FIFA World Cup and in the COPA America at 2015, 2016, 2019, and 2021 editions. Other than being a captain of the Ecuador team, he also holds the all-time leading scorer with 35 goals.
Though there is still no confirmed news regarding his career, there is a higher possibility that this World Cup will be the last time where we will see the Captain play for his national team, and on the world stage.
Bold Prediction: Qatar 0 – 2 Ecuador
If we consider the experience on the world stage, Ecuador will be favorites to win the matchup. Many sports betting websites picked Ecuador as a dark horse and force to be reckoned with, they have the skills, confidence, and the experience to upset Netherlands and Senegal that are both favorites to dominate the group stage. On the other hand, the upper hands of Qatar are their tenacity, confidence, and the home crowds behind their back. They also have a capability to upset contending teams as they are still relatively unknown in the world stage and that would be their possible advantages.
The bold prediction for the opening match between Qatar and Ecuador is 0 – 2 in favor of Ecuador, led by the veteran and the captain Enner Valencia sparking the team’s confidence with a first strike at the early minutes of the matchup.
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