New Delhi: FIFA World Cup 2022 will witness the opening match between Qatar and Ecuador in Group A at the Al Bayt Stadium on Sunday. Ecuador will be taking part in the FIFA World Cup after an eight-year gap while Qatar will be playing on the largest stage for the very first time in history.
Gutavo Alfaro's men secured a direct ticket to Qatar by finishing fourth in the South American qualifying group, ahead of teams of the calibre of Peru, Colombia, Chile and Paraguay.
For Qatar, Felix Sanchez's men won the 2019 Asian Cup on home soil, beating the likes of South Korea and Japan in the process. They also performed above expectations as guests at last year's CONCACAF Gold Cup, losing to eventual champions United States in the semifinals.
An impressive mix of experience and youth, combined with Sanchez's tactical expertise and the support of home fans, could see Qatar again punch above their weight here.
Here are the facts you need to know ahead of the Qatar- Ecuador clash:
1. Both teams have faced three times previously in Qatar itself. Their head-to-head record is also balanced with one win each and one tie. In the last encounter, Qatar won the game by 4-3 in October 2018.
2. In the last four opening matches of the FIFA World Cup, 17 goals have been scored at an average of 4.25 per game.
3. Since the 1982 season, this is the first time the league is starting off on Sunday.
4. Qatar have won all three of their previous matches at Al Bayt Stadium.
5. In the FIFA World Cup, Ecuador’s best performance came in the year 2006 when they made it to the Round of 16. Also, they ended up winning their opening group match where they defeated Poland 2-0.
Qatar vs Ecuador FIFA World Cup 2022 match will be broadcasted LIVE on Sports18 Network. The Live streaming of the Qatar vs Ecuador FIFA World Cup 2022 match in India will be available on Jio Cinemas.
Qatar Predicted XI: Saad Al Sheeb; Pedro, Bassam Al Rawi, Boualem Khoukhi, Abdelkarim Hassan; Homam Al Amin, Karim Boudiaf, Abdulaziz Hatem; Hassan Al Haydos, Akram Afif, Almoez Ali.
Ecuador Predicted XI: Dominguez; Arboleda, Torres, Hincapie, Estupinan; Mendez, Caicedo; Plata, Cifuentes, Ibarra; Valencia