Qatar 0-2 Ecuador
Ecuador got the 2022 World Cup 2022 and their own campaign up and running with a bang on Sunday as Enner Valencia struck twice to wreck Qatar’s big night.
Valencia had already had a goal oddly ruled out by VAR when he put Ecuador ahead from the penalty spot on 15 minutes, and he doubled the lead with a superb header mid way through the half. Qatar are trying to avoid being only the second host nation to fail to make the knockout phase after South Africa dropped out at the group stage in 2010, while no host team has failed to win a match in the group stage.
Take a look at the World Cup 2022 betting odds and it looks a bit grim for Qatar with the Netherlands and Senegal to play it won’t get any easier, but for Ecuador it doesn’t get much better than a well earned victory on the opening night.
Highlights of the game
You know what, we don’t usually expect the opening game of the World Cup to be a goal fest but, with just three minutes on the clock Ecuador had the ball in the net. A combination of shambolic defending and inventive attacking saw Qatar keeper Saad Al Sheeb flap at the ball, Felix Torres hook it across the goal and Enner Valencia head home.
Ecuador celebrated but only for a minute as the VAR team scrambled desperately to find something… and they apparently did, ruling the goal out for offside.
But the respite for Qatar was short lived as the next time Ecuador attacked the hapless keeper pulled Valencia down and the referee pointed to the spot. Valencia, cool as you like, rolled the ball into the net for his 36th goal for Ecuador and the first one of World Cup 2022. Ecuador were superb in the opening exchanges and Qatar were in disarray, and the gulf in class became painfully evident when the South Americans doubled their lead through that man Valencia. Ecuador cut open the Qatar defence again and this time Angelo Preciado swung in a cross which Valencia met and headed brilliantly home from 15 yards. He was just onside and it looked a lot closer than the disallowed goal…but what do I know?!
Ecuador were coasting but in the last action of the first half Qatar should have halved the deficit when Hassan Al Haydos fired in an inch perfect cross which Almoez Ali would surely have headed home had he not closed his eyes.
It was a sitter.
At least at the beginning of the second half the Qatar keeper had a confidence booster when he made a good save to keep out Romario Ibarra, but the hosts were making little progress as Ecuador managed the game and kept the ball with some ease. Jeremy Sarmiento blasted a chance over and then, on 75 minutes Valencia took his applause as he was substituted. The hero of the hour had taken a knock in the first half and his coach was keen to protect the main man.
With five minutes remaining almost a third of the home fans had left the stadium and they almost missed a screamer of a goal as Mohammed Muntari hit a first time effort which flew just over the bar, but it was a night to forget for Qatar on the whole.
Key statistics
Here at SBOTOP we predicted a low scoring game with Ecuador edging it. Well we got the winner right but Ecuador could easily have scored a couple more.
Almoez’ shocking miss was Qatar’s only touch in the Ecuador penalty area in the opening 45 minutes and it didn’t get much better for the hosts as Ecuador saw the game out comfortably.
Enner Valencia is the first Ecuadorian to score four world cup goals…and five. And the 2022 World Cup is the first edition to have its opening goal scored from the penalty spot.
And for Ecuador it was an impressive seventh consecutive clean sheet.
What’s next?
Next up in Group A the Netherlands face Senegal on Monday, while Group B also gets underway and England fans can begin their bi-annual crusade in search of a first big tournament win since 1966. The Three Lions open up with a tricky tie against Iran while Wales and USA also get their Group B campaign going.
Then, on Friday, Ecuador are in action again when they face the Netherlands while Qatar take on Senegal; and you can keep it here for all the best World Cup 2022 updates as the tournament unfolds.
But right now it’s time for Ecuador fans to celebrate and for Qatar to lick their wounds.
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