FIFA World Cup: Ecuador beat Qatar 2-0; Enner Valencia scores a brace
Ecuador beat host Qatar in the opening game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, thanks to a brace by Enner Valencia, including a sensational header in the 31st minute. The other goal was a penalty (16th minute).
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It will be a historic moment for Qatar as the host nation make its FIFA World Cup debut at home on Sunday (November 20) with a Group A game against Ecuador at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor.
The opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2022 is a huge occasion for Qatar to celebrate as it is the first Middle East country to host the World Cup. This comes after years of preparations amid controversies since it won the right to host the tournament in 2010.
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It is a double celebration given that Qatar had never appeared in a football World Cup.
‘A great party’
Qatar’s Spanish manager Felix Sanchez said it will be a “historic moment” to play the inaugural game of the World Cup.
“It’s a very important day for us. A historic moment, a moment of happiness for us,” Sanchez said on Saturday (November 19).
Also read: Full list of all 32 squads for FIFA World Cup 2022
“It’s an extraordinary day like no other. We have made such a huge effort in this country. We are all devoted for this World Cup and have invested so much. I hope it’s a great party where we can enjoy football and I hope everyone from all countries in the world, together, can enjoy this experience. I’m happy to be the ones kicking off this competition,” he added.
Qatar, ranked 50th in the world, faces a major challenge just to emerge from Group A, which also includes Senegal and the Netherlands.
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South Africa in 2010 is the only host nation to fail to get beyond the group stage, so to avoid sharing that distinction would be a success in itself.
Sunday may be Qatar’s best hope for a victory against an Ecuador team that is only five places above it at No. 44 in the FIFA rankings.
Asian Cup champion
Qatar’s preparation for this tournament has been going on for several years, including involvement in the 2019 Copa America and 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup. But it was victory in the 2019 Asian Cup that provided evidence of the country’s potential to provide a shock over the next few weeks.
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That continental title was masterminded by coach Sanchez, who has been in the position since 2017 and before that was in charge of the under-19 team.
The 46-year-old Spaniard learned his trade at Barcelona’s famed academy and his impact has been remarkable, with the Asian Cup success his standout moment. But the World Cup is another level entirely.
Ecuador, in its fourth World Cup appearance, will hope to spoil the party and has been talked about as a potential surprise package. But the team heads to the World Cup on the back of doubts about whether it would even be allowed to compete after claims it fielded an ineligible player during qualifying.
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Previous meetings
Chile and Peru argued that defender Byron Castillo was actually Colombian and illegally played in qualifying matches. That claim was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Ecuador kept its place at the World Cup, but will be deducted three points before the start of qualifying for the 2026 competition because of the use of false information on Castillo’s birthday and birthplace in its proceedings to grant him a passport. Castillo was then left out of coach Gustavo Alfaro’s 26-man squad for Qatar.
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Previously, Qatar and Ecuador have met in only in three friendlies with one win apiece and the other contest ending in a draw.
Squads
Qatar
- Goalkeepers: Saad Al-Sheeb, Meshaal Barsham, Yousef Hassan.
- Defenders: Pedro Miguel, Musaab Khidir, Tarek Salman, Bassam Al-Rawi, Boualem Khoukhi, Abdelkarim Hassan, Homam Ahmed, Jassem Gaber.
- Midfielders: Ali Asad, Assim Madabo, Mohammed Waad, Salem Al-Hajri, Moustafa Tarek, Karim Boudiaf, Abdelaziz Hatim, Ismail Mohamad.
- Forwards: Naif Al-Hadhrami, Ahmed Alaaeldin, Hassan Al-Haydos, Khalid Muneer, Akram Afif, Almoez Ali, Mohamed Muntari.
Ecuador
- Goalkeepers: Moises Ramirez, Alexander Dominguez, Hernan Galindez.
- Defenders: Piero Hincapie, Robert Arboleda, Pervis Estupinan, Angelo Preciado, Jackson Porozo, Xavier Arreaga, Felix Torres, Diego Palacios, William Pacho.
- Midfielders: Carlos Gruezo, Jose Cifuentes, Alan Franco, Moises Caicedo, Angel Mena, Jeremy Sarmiento, Ayrton Preciado, Sebastian Mendez, Gonzalo Plata, Romario Ibarra.
- Forwards: Djorkaeff Reasco, Kevin Rodriguez, Michael Estrada, Enner Valencia.
The match starts at 9:30 PM IST (7 PM local time)
🇶🇦 Qatar@QFA | #FIFAWorldCup (24/33) pic.twitter.com/pCjRDInCew
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 16, 2022
🇪🇨 Ecuador@LaTri | #FIFAWorldCup (11/33) pic.twitter.com/Ot02ckCXri
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 16, 2022
(With agency inputs)