By Jay Jay Eyibio (Fleks Sports)
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is set to kickoff on Sunday, 20th November, with the host nation, Qatar taking on South American side, Ecuador. This will be the very first clash in group A and will be played at the Al Bayt Stadium.
The Qatar national team is being coached by Felix Sanchez Bas while the Ecuador national team has Gustavo Alfaro as its head coach.
This will be the very first appearance of Qatar in a World Cup Tournament and fourth for Ecuador. However, this is the first World Cup appearance for Ecuador in eight years as they failed to secure a spot in the Russia 2018 World Cup.
Match Preview
Qatar National Team🇶🇦
Qatar have been drawn against defending African Cup of nations champions, Senegal and world cup finalists, Netherlands in Group A. This seems to be a very huge challenge for the Qatari side ranked 50th in the world. However, Qatar had taken part in four preparatory friendly games since October winning all four games. This games were against Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and Albania. Qatar aims at becoming the first world cup debutants to win their opening match after Senegal defeated defending champions, France, way back in 2002. Qatar would also be very careful so as not to become the second World Cup host not to scale through the group stages(fate that occurred to South Africa in 2010).
Ecuador National Team 🇪🇨
Ecuador survived the threat of expulsion from the world cup tournament after fielding and ineligible player in qualifiers. With all of this, Ecuador makes a return to the FIFA tournament after missing a spot at Russia 2018. Ecuador had previously appeared in the 2002, 2006 and 2014 world cup editions but have only progressed beyond the group stages once.
Ecuador had played six warm up games winning two and drawing four. However, they’ve not conceded any goal in any of these games.
Team News
Qatar🇶🇦
Ahmed Alaaeldin(attacker) is likely to be unfit for this game after picking up an injury in their friendly against Albania.
Ali and Akram Afif are expected to pair up front while the backline expected to be a five-man backline will consist of star players such as Abdelkarim Hassan and Qatari captain, Hassan Al- Haydos.
Ecuador 🇪🇨
Bryon Castillo came off before the break in their final preparatory game making him unfit for this game as he had been left out of the 26-man squad.
Angelo Preciado or Robert Arbodreda are expected to fill the right back slot for the South Americans.
What are your predictions for this game?
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