Netherlands vs Ecuador Betting Props: World Cup 2022 Group A

Under 2½ and Both Teams To Score – No (+110)

The two sides have only played twice in a competitive game. Both matches have been very tight: A 1-0 victory for the Netherlands in 2006 and a 1-1 draw in 2014. If the Dutch can beat Ecuador in their second game and the other Group A match ends in a draw, the Dutch will sit five points clear of Senegal and Qatar with just a single game still to come.

With the Netherlands still having to play Qatar, the weakest team in the tournament, Louis van Gaal’s side might take this game lightly and even be happy with the draw. Both teams should be silent in the first half and not create many scoring opportunities so if you’re betting online, you should expect a goalless draw at halftime.

The Netherlands to win by 1 (+250)

The Netherlands scored in all of the 16 games prior to this one. Fit-again forward Memphis Depay is pushing for a start, as well as Ajax midfielder Davy Klaassen, who helped van Gaal’s troops seal the victory on Monday. The Netherlands ended their group stage of the Nations League at the top of the table and advanced to the semifinals of the tournament. The attacking line of the team has not missed the target since the start of the WC qualifiers in September 2021.

The World Cup is long and they need all their players to be fully fit, so they won’t risk any injuries. On paper, the Netherlands are the better side, the more experienced team between the two, but it will be very tough for them to score more than one goal against Ecuador. They had problems against Senegal, with the opening goal coming in the 84th minute, and we expect them to struggle in the final third against a solid defense. We expect them to win by one goal and not push for more.

Netherlands and Total Under 3½ (+120)

Though Ecuador are enjoying a positive run of form, they were unable to score in three of the last four attempts before the FIFA World Cup. They played two friendly games in September and ended both of them in a 0-0 draw.

The Flying Dutchmen have performed perfectly in their defense recently to keep three clean sheets. Van Gaal has brought a highly physical, well-organized team to the tournament, a feature arguably lacking in recent years.

Gustavo Alfaro has a squad full of quality and has ensured that they are particularly difficult to break down defensively. Ecuador’s best striker, Enner Valencia, suffered an injury in the Group A opener and he might not be able to give his best on Friday. They will have to be at their very best to avoid defeat and understand that the Netherlands are not Qatar. With their toughest opponent in Senegal already played, the remaining two fixtures are very much the Netherlands’ to lose so we will include them in our soccer picks and parlays.

“The odds and predictions in the article are based on the time of writing and publication. They may differ as to when the actual event takes place.”