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Hosts Qatar opened the 2022 Fifa World Cup in calamitous fashion, easily beaten by Ecuador in a humbling defeat at Al Bayt.
Felix Sanchez’s men have been together in camp for the last six months to prepare for the tournament and work on tactics, but a nervous and disjointed performance led to a Group A loss.
With Africa Cup of Nations champions Senegal and three-time finalists the Netherlands to come, this looked like Qatar’s easiest game on paper but they totally outplayed.
A dramatic opening to the contest saw Enner Valencia’s header from close range ruled out for offside by the video assistant referee, but the South Americans did break the deadlock shortly after.
Qatar’s erratic goalkeeper Saad al-Sheeb brought Valencia down in the box and the ex-West Ham forward stepped up to convert the spot-kick.
It got worse for the hosts as Valencia powered in another header before half-time to leave the Al Bayt Stadium silenced at the break.
Many supporters who had left the stadium at the interval did not return, leaving the ground around half empty for much of the second period.
It contributed to a flat atmosphere both off and on the pitch, with Romario Ibarra’s curling shot being pushed out by Al-Sheeb.
Star men Almoez Ali and captain Hassan al-Haydos were both substituted with 20 minutes remaining, and the side were unable to muster a shot on target.
More to follow.
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Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
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Qatar
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Squad number1Player nameSaad Al Sheeb
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Squad number2Player namePedro Miguel
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Squad number15Player nameBassam Al Rawi
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Squad number16Player nameKhoukhi
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Squad number3Player nameAbdelkarim Hassan
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Squad number14Player nameHomam Ahmed
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Squad number10Player nameHassan Al Haydos
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Squad number12Player nameBoudiaf
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Squad number6Player nameAbdulaziz Hatem
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Squad number19Player nameAlmoez Ali
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Squad number11Player nameAkram Afif
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Squad number4Player nameMohammed Waad
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Squad number9Player nameMuntari
Ecuador
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Squad number1Player nameGalíndez
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Squad number17Player namePreciado
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Squad number2Player nameTorres
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Squad number3Player nameHincapié
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Squad number7Player nameEstupiñán
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Squad number19Player namePlata
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Squad number20Player nameMéndez
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Squad number23Player nameCaicedo
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Squad number10Player nameIbarra
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Squad number13Player nameE Valencia
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Squad number11Player nameEstrada
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Squad number5Player nameCifuentes
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Squad number16Player nameSarmiento
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Squad number21Player nameFranco
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Squad number26Player nameRodríguez
Line-ups
Qatar
Formation 5-3-2
- 1Al SheebBooked at 15mins
- 2Carvalho Deus Correia
- 15Al Rawi
- 16Khoukhi
- 3Al Haj Fadlalla
- 14Ahmed
- 10Al HaydosSubstituted forJadoua Al Bayatiat 71′minutes
- 12BoudiafBooked at 36mins
- 6Mohammed Abdullah
- 19AbdullaBooked at 22minsSubstituted forMuntariat 72′minutes
- 11AfifBooked at 78mins
Substitutes
- 4Jadoua Al Bayati
- 5Odeh
- 7Abdelmotaal
- 8Thaimn Qambar
- 9Muntari
- 13Djebril Mohamed
- 17Mohammad
- 18Mazeed
- 20Al Hajri
- 21Ali
- 22Barsham
- 23Al Haj Madibo
- 24Al Hadhrami
- 25Abdulsallam
- 26Meshaal
Ecuador
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Galíndez
- 17Preciado
- 2Torres
- 3Hincapié
- 7Estupiñán
- 19Plata
- 20MéndezBooked at 56mins
- 23CaicedoBooked at 29minsSubstituted forFrancoat 90′minutes
- 10IbarraSubstituted forSarmientoat 68′minutes
- 13E ValenciaSubstituted forCifuentesat 77′minutes
- 11EstradaSubstituted forRodríguezat 90′minutes
Substitutes
- 4Arboleda
- 5Cifuentes
- 6Pacho
- 8Gruezo
- 9Preciado
- 12Ramírez
- 14Arreaga
- 15Mena
- 16Sarmiento
- 18Palacios
- 21Franco
- 22Domínguez
- 24Reasco
- 25Porozo
- 26Rodríguez
Live Text
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Match ends, Qatar 0, Ecuador 2.
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Second Half ends, Qatar 0, Ecuador 2.
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Corner, Qatar. Conceded by Félix Torres.
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Attempt missed. Kevin Rodríguez (Ecuador) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Pervis Estupiñán with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Ecuador. Conceded by Bassam Al Rawi.
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Foul by Kevin Rodríguez (Ecuador).
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Boualem Khoukhi (Qatar) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Substitution, Ecuador. Alan Franco replaces Moisés Caicedo.
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Substitution, Ecuador. Kevin Rodríguez replaces Michael Estrada.
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Corner, Ecuador. Conceded by Mohammed Waad.
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Attempt missed. Mohammed Muntari (Qatar) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Bassam Al Rawi with a through ball.
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Foul by José Cifuentes (Ecuador).
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Abdelkarim Hassan (Qatar) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Pervis Estupiñán (Ecuador).
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Bassam Al Rawi (Qatar) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Jhegson Méndez (Ecuador) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Mohammed Waad (Qatar).
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Foul by Gonzalo Plata (Ecuador).
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Saad Al Sheeb (Qatar) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Offside, Ecuador. Piero Hincapié tries a through ball, but Jeremy Sarmiento is caught offside.
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