World Cup 2022 Group A Preview

Group A Preview ~ World Cup 2022
Qatar – Netherlands – Ecuador – Senegal (Rankings As Of Finals Draw, April 1, 2022)

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Qatar National Team Profile:

FIFA World Rank: 51 

Manager: Félix Sánchez

World Cup Appearances: 1st App 2022

Best Finish: To Be Determined

Odds to Win Cup: +40,000

Odds to Win Group A: +1,400

Odds to Qualify: +400:

Group Stage Points Total O/U: 2.5

Group Stage Schedule:

November 20 vs. Ecuador

November 25 vs. Senegal

November 29 vs. Netherlands

At the time of the drawing that set the field of 32 nations for the 2022 World Cup, Qatar was ranked 51st in the world according to FIFA. Naturally, as hosts of the event, the Qatar National Football Team did not have to endure the qualifying process to earn their way into the competition proper, this being their first appearance in the event.

Qatar will rely on an experienced roster that has 4 players with over 100 caps for the National Team, with Hassan Al-Haydos wearing the Captain’s armband. The striker wearing the #10 jersey who calls Doha, Qatar, home, has spent his entire playing career with Al-Sadd, and he is the most capped player in the history of the National Team with 165 appearances. The upcoming 2022-23 Qatar Stars League campaign will mark the 17th year with Sadid where he has made 441 appearances totaling 124 goals with his club to go with his service to his Nation.

Almoez Ali (39) only needs 3 goals with the National Team to tie the all-time leader in goal scoring, as he only trails Mubarak Mustafa (41) and Mansour Muftah (42) for the honor. Al-Haydos isn’t far behind with 34 tallies, and Qatar will need all of them to pitch in in hopes of advancing out of Group A.

Teammates at club level with Al-Haydos at Al Sadid,  Saad Al Sheeb will be asked to keep the ball out of the Qatari net with all of his experience to rely on. Al Sheeb has been with Al Sadid since 2002 as a youth at the club level, as the two players have been teammates at Sadid for quite some time now.

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Netherlands National Team Profile:

FIFA World Rank: 10

Manager: Louis Van Gaal

World Cup Appearances: 11

Best Finish: Runners-Up (3, 1974, 1978, 2010)

Odds to Win Cup: +1,400

Odds to Win Group A: -225

Odds to Qualify: -750

Group Stage Points Total O/U: 6.5

Group Stage Schedule:

November 21 vs. Senegal

November 25 vs. Ecuador

November 29 vs. Qatar

The Netherlands is listed as the favorite to win Group A and they are expected to advance to the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. There is little to no value in the option for the Netherlands to qualify and advance to the round of 16 at -750, and there is barely any meat on the bone at -225 to win Group A outright.

The Dutch side qualified for the finals after getting through what most pundits would consider an easy UEFA Group G final draw. The Netherlands earned 23 points to take the top spot in that group, and that was all they needed to do to land in Qatar. 

Memphis Depay led the group scoring 12 goals for the Netherlands in the final qualifying stage, while no other player tallied more than 5 goals through the final 10-match process. Depay was originally a PSV Eindhoven youth player before beginning his pro career with the Netherlands club in 2011. He is now calling Epsna home playing at club level with Barcelona after stints with Manchester United and Lyon.

Depay needs 1 international goal to break the second-place tie with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar who both have scored 42 times for the Flying Dutchmen. Robin van Persie holds the team record with 50 tallies, but all of that is just paperwork. Expectations are high to do more than just advance out of Group A, so the pressure is on to give their fans a deep run in Qatar.

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Ecuador National Team Profile:

FIFA World Rank: 46

Manager: Gustavo Alfaro

World Cup Appearances: 4

Best Finish: Round of 16 (2006)

Odds to Win Cup: +20,000

Odds to Win Group A: +550 

Odds to Qualify: +105

Group Stage Points Total O/U: 3.5

Group Stage Schedule:

November 20 vs. Qatar

November 25 vs. Netherlands

November 29 vs. Senegal

With the Netherlands seemingly already being handed their spot in the Round of 16, Ecuador and Senegal are playing for the ‘other’ nation to come out of Group A. The line setters aren’t exactly sure which of them it will be, and as it stands we can get plus money on Ecuador to qualify. 

At +105 to Senegal’s -130 to advance, the African side might be what stands in Ecuador’s way of advancing to the Round of 16. Ecuador will have to shake off the nerves of being the first match played in the tournament, and the only affair being played that day. There will only be a few people watching around the world, but not too many so why be nervous, right?

Ecuador is favored against Qatar and is expected to take 3 points from the opening match of the world’s most recognized and watched tournament on the planet. With the Netherlands team total listed at 6.5, the oddsmakers are the Flying Dutchmen to take the full 3 points against Ecuador and the early lines for the Senegal affair are dead even. The line setters don’t even know who to favor for the final matches of group A play when the two meet on November 29. So, buckle up for what will likely be the deciding affair that sends the second squad to the Round of 16 out of the group.

Ecuador (46) and Saudi Arabia (49) are the last two teams in the Top 50 of the rankings that made their way to the event. Enner Valencia will be wearing the Captain’s armband, and he is the only forward on the roster with double-digit goals to his credit (35 from 74 Caps). 

Michael Estrada led all Ecuadorian players in CONMEBOL final stage qualifying with 6 goals, while Valencia put 4 balls in the back of the net during the process. If you recall, a big 1 – 1 draw with Argentina on the final day of qualifying pushed Ecuador through leaving Peru to find themselves in an Inter-Continental playoff, which they lost on penalty kicks to Australia.

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Senegal National Team Profile:

FIFA World Rank: 20

Manager: Aliou Cissé

World Cup Appearances: 3

Best Finish: Quarterfinals (2002)

Odds to Win Cup: +2,800

Odds to Win Group A: +425

Odds to Qualify: -130

Group Stage Points Total O/U: 3.5

Group Stage Schedule:

November 20 vs. Netherlands

November 25 vs. Qatar

November 29 vs. Ecuador

Senegal is the highest-ranked Nation from CAF, listed 20th in the World when the draw was revealed for Group Stage on April 1. This is only their third experience on the grandest stage in the world, and the first time they are appearing in back-to-back World Cups. 

Senegal landed in Russia for the 2018 version of the dance and failed to advance out of their group, although that wasn’t the surprise everyone got. Poland flopped like a fish and landed behind Senegal in group play as the two Nation’s were sent packing early while Colombia and Japan advanced from Group H.

All eyes will be on #10, as Sadio Mané is the all-time leading scorer for the Senegal National Team with 34 tallies from his 93 Caps. Mané is considered one of the best footballers to ever play on the African Continent, although some of us old-schoolers will gladly debate that with you.

If there is any reason this team has confidence coming into this year’s Finals, it’s the fact that they won their first-ever African Cup of Nations trophy in 2021. Winning tournaments together right before another Major is a nice way for a manager to have at his disposal to instill that winning mentality.

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World Cup 2022 Group A Predictions and Bets: (Bookmaker BetOnline)

Netherlands to win Group A at -225 (No Bet at that price, just a lean and a call to make)

Ecuador to advance to the Round of 16 at +105 1U

Ecuador Over 3.5 Points at -115 1U

Qatar Under 2.5 Points at -110 1U

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