2022 World Cup: Qatar vs Ecuador Prop Jobs

Highly Motivated

It no longer matters if Qatar deserved to host a WC or not. In the end, even if there was corruption involved, the players and coaching staff aren’t to blame. In fact, I expect them to leave all that behind and to go all in right from the start. In other words, Qatar will score first and will end up winning the first half.

As for Ecuador, La Tricolor is going to need some time to adjust to the weather and environment. That’s why I think it will take until the second half for them to react.

Qatar’s last friendly match prior to the WC was against Chile and ended 2-2, while Ecuador’s last three friendly matches finished with a draw. The South Americans faced Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Iraq.

• Picks: Half Time – Full Time (Qatar-Draw +1400) / Winning Margin (Score Draw +375)

Forget About Another Goal-Fest

Let’s cut to the chase. The total has gone under 2½ goals in Ecuador’s last seven games in all competitions. The same happened in two of Qatar’s last four games. During the CONMEBOL qualifiers, Ecuador averaged 1.03 goals per game. Of the two, Ecuador is the one with some WC experience.

Finally, this will be the first official match between the two. The last one, and the previous two, were all friendly games. In other words, the stakes are very different, so both will focus more on not losing. Don’t get me wrong, both will score, but again, don’t expect another goal-fest.

• Picks: Under 2½ Goals and Both Teams to Score – Yes at +500

To Make History

I can only imagine the excitement in Qatar’s locker room. All attacking midfielders and strikers must be envisioning what it would be like to score Qatar’s first goal ever in the WC. However, all signs point to Almoez Ali, who’s offering a +700 price to be the first goal scorer. That means a $100 wager could turn into an $800 payout. Considering he would be in charge of taking free kicks and an eventual penalty, that’s a very tempting online gambling deal.

As for Ecuador, both Enner Valencia and Michael Estrada are good options, but Estrada is offering a much better reward since he’s +650 and Valencia is +450.

• Picks: First Time Scorer – Almoez Ali (+700) / Michael Estrada (+650)

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