Some opening matches at the World Cup evoke fantastic memories; Cameroon stunning holders Argentina in 1990, Scotland giving Brazil a bloody nose in 1994, Baba Diop’s goal handing Senegal victory over champions France in 2002 or hosts Russia’s 5-0 demolition of Saudi Arabia that got the party started in 2018.
But… today’s opener doesn’t look like it’s going to be a classic. In terms of FIFA ranking it’s 50th in the world versus 44 when Qatar and Ecuador meet at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor.
There’s no getting away from the fact that this edition of the greatest tournament in the world has been dogged by controversy, mostly centred around the host nation, but at 4pm the talking will stop, at least for 90 minutes, and the action will begin.
Of course this is Qatar’s first appearance at a World Cup Finals. No qualifiation means they’ve not played a competitive game this year. Their last was in the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup, which they also hosted, where they topped their group and eventually finished 3rd after losing in the semi-finals to an Algerian penalty in the 17th minute of stoppage time!
That will have given them some invaluable tournament experience as hosts but Ecuador could present an altogether more difficult challenge.
La Tri qualified automatically, finishing fourth in the CONMEBOL standings, largely down to their home form where they went through the campaign unbeaten. The same can’t be said of their matches on the road, just two wins in nine which must be a concern 14,000km from home.
Both sides will be keen to avoid defeat. Remarkably from 1966-1978 the opening fixture resulted in a 0-0 draw. The four openers that followed finished 1-0, 1-1, 1-0 & 1-0. Eight of the last twelve have finished Under 2.5 Goals, six of them under 1.5. It’s only been in recent editions (three of the last four) we’ve seen the golas flow.
Neither of today’s two sides are bursting with attacking talent so it could be a close, but dull enounter. Under 2.5 is predictably short at just 1/2 and Under 1.5 is tempting at 13/8. A goalless first half appeals at 6/5 and the 0-0 scoreline can’t be ruled out at 11/2.
Our in-depth World Cup coverage is now up and running. Big thanks to KevMac, Mark Walker and SlipsTips for giving us the benefit of their research and insight for the upcoming tournament. Group by Group Betting Tips are all available Group A, Group B, Group C, Group D, Group E, Group F, Group G, Group H as well as featured markets; Golden Boot, Golden Glove, Group Stage Acca, Dark Horses and Outright Winners.
We’ll also be previewing all 64 matches in Qatar in partnership with Highbet who’ll be providing exclusive free bets as prizes throughout the tournament. Watch this space!
Super Singles
- Qatar v Senegal – Under 1.5 Goals 13/8 Bet365
Bonkers Bet
- Qatar 0 Senegal 0 11/2 Bet365
Upcoming Match Previews & Tips
- Sun 16:00 Qatar vs Ecuador
- Mon 13:00 England vs Iran
Racing Tips
No Cruise Yet was a welcomed Saturday winner tipped up at 10/1 by Rizzel. He has two selections for Sunday’s racing, including his NAP making his chase debut at Cork from a 1346 day absence.
As always, let us know your best betting tips and predictions for today in the comments section below and good luck with all your bets!
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