football | Friday, November 18, 2022 1:44 PM (Revised at: Sunday, November 20, 2022 12:16 PM)

Qatar vs Ecuador Bet Builder: 2.00 Builder for World Cup Opener

Sam Ingram

Qatar vs Ecuador Bet Builder: Sunday, November, 20th

Jules Rimet has landed in the Middle East, and with that, we’ve got Qatar vs Ecuador bet builder tips for the opener here at bettingexpert.

Winter may be approaching. Campaigns throughout Europe may be building up a head of steam. But the World Cup is here, and it kicks off with the hosts versus an Ecuador side that passed South America’s qualifying tests alongside the best the continent had to offer.

In this article:

Qatar vs Ecuador Preview
Qatar vs Ecuador Stats & Facts
Qatar vs Ecuador Bet Builder

Qatar vs Ecuador Preview

Sunday, November 20th, 16:00 (UK)

In Group A, the scrap for 2nd place looks as intriguing as it does anywhere else in the World Cup landscape. The Netherlands, Senegal, and the pairing that will open proceedings on Sunday should offer three hotly-contested games apiece in the hunt for the Round of 16.

Look, Qatar vs Ecuador isn’t the showpiece opening game that organisers would have hoped. Of course, it’s no Brazil vs Croatia in 2014 or Brazil vs Scotland in 1998, but beggars can’t be choosers. As hosts, Qatar enter the tournament without having fought through a stretch to earn the right to compete. They do, however, brag a sustained period placing complete focus on the World Cup via intense training camps and friendlies geared up for the competition’s opening fixture.

On the other hand, Ecuador arrives after finishing behind Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, in that order, as CONMEBOL’s four countries heading for war. In a nod towards the sound, youthful hands Ecuador finds themselves in, the average age of La Tricolor’s starting eleven at 25 years and 334 days was the youngest in South American qualifying.

The South Americans boast an impressive talent pool in Moises Caicedo, Pervis Estupinan, and Jeremy Sarmiento, Ecuador’s Brighton trio. Premier League lovers will also recognise former Hammer Enner Valencia in forward areas. The Fenerbahçe hitman has 13 goals in 11 league starts in Turkey, a purple patch his nation will hope extends into Qatar.

Qatar vs Ecuador Stats & Facts

The South Americans netted 27 goals in the qualification stage in South America – their highest-ever tally en route to World Cup qualification.
If Qatar gets the three points on match day one, they’ll be the first AFC to win their first FIFA World Cup match.
The Ecuadorians conceded five goals in the 76th-90th minute of matches in qualifying, more than any Qatar-bound South American nation.
Qatar is the first nation to play for the first time in a World Cup without qualifying since Italy in 1934.

Qatar vs Ecuador Bet Builder

In CONMEBOL qualification, Ecuador’s opponents averaged 7.24 Passes Per Defensive Action (PPDA) per90. Argentina (8.12) was next best, with Brazil (9.03) lagging not too far behind.

Unfortunately, we can’t bet on Ecuador pressing opponents when out of possession, but we can side with the potential for tackles. In Ecuador’s engine room, one key player sticks out. Moises Caicedo, of Brighton fame, will be instrumental to any success of the Ecuadorian variety over the next month.

The Premier League’s final pre-World Cup fixture ended with a sour taste in Brighton as Caicedo’s side fell to defeat against Aston Villa. However, the seven Caicedo tackles in the middle of the park may indicate what’s to come. In Ecuadorian colours, the central midfielder averaged 1.9 tackles per game in qualifying.

There was only one fixture where Caicedo didn’t record a single tackle during top-flight action in England this term, coming against Chelsea in a 4-1 win. In fact, over 1.5 tackles landed in 12/14 Premier League fixtures for Caicedo. If Ecuador can nick a goal against the hosts, likely handing them the onus to attack and, in turn, possession to Qatar, Caicedo tackles could end up romping home quite comfortably.

Since successfully navigating World Cup qualification, Ecuador have played seven friendlies. Four of their last five outings have finished goalless, whilst two of the seven matches ended in a 1-0 Ecuadorian win versus Nigeria and Cape Verde.

With the goals drying up for Ecuador and Qatar not quite at the same level, perhaps it’s safe to assume this won’t be a goal-laden Hollywood blockbuster. Nevertheless, in their seven most recent friendlies, Ecuador remains unbeaten.

The Qataris are hard to judge. They’ll certainly be no pushovers, as their 2019 Asian Cup suggests, but do they have enough to mix it with the three solid international outfits that make up Group A? Time will tell. Luckily for them, history is on their side as hosts. Never has a host of a World Cup lost the opening group match.

So, Ecuador to take the win is a little bullish and something to swerve. However, the Double Result market for Ecuador to win or draw provides a sturdy accompaniment to Moises Caicedo putting his foot in more than once. At Evens, it seems like a handy way into the curtain raiser.