Netherlands and Ecuador will battle it out for top spot in Group A when they meet at the Khalifa International Stadium on Friday. Both nations made a winning start to their World Cup campaign, with the Dutch scoring two late goals to see off Senegal, while La Tri outclassed host nation Qatar.
To Win Match
Netherlands 8/10 | Draw 26/10 | Ecuador 7/2
The three-time World Cup finalists returned to the biggest international stage after an eight-year absence, beating Senegal 2-0 on Monday in their Group A match with late goals from Cody Gakpo and substitute Davy Klaassen.
The 23-year-old Gakpo, who came into the tournament having scored 13 goals in 24 appearances for his club PSV this season, proved to be the star performer for the Dutch and showed why he is genuinely one to follow in this tournament. He’s now scored three times in his last four internationals.
The Dutch, who had failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, have now gone 16 games without defeat since coach Louis van Gaal took over for a third time, making him the most successful Dutch coach with 38 wins, surpassing Dick Advocaat.
The Netherlands, understandably, are the favourites here, boasting a wealth of European talent. With high-profile players like Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk, Barcelona’s Memphis Depay, and Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt, the Dutch have a rock-solid defence with plenty of attacking firepower to lead them to victory over Ecuador.
Ecuador got their World Cup 2022 campaign off to a winning start in Group A, beating the hosts Qatar 2-0 thanks to two first-half goals from captain Enner Valencia. The former West Ham and Everton striker would have had a hat-trick but for a baffling VAR decision to rule out what would have been the opening goal after only three minutes.
Ecuador will be dreaming of surpassing their best ever previous World Cup showing when they reached the last-16 in 2006. Clean sheets have been the theme for Gustavo Alfaro’s men as they have remarkably recorded seven shutouts from seven games since the start of June. That defensive record, coupled with their talisman in red-hot form, La Tri will fancy their chances of upsetting the Dutch.
Another player that could pose a serious threat for Netherlands is Brighton left-back Pervis Estupinan. He was a key player in qualifying for his nation, creating 22 chances as they reached the 2022 World Cup finals, more than any other defender in the CONMEBOL region. Also of Brighton, Jeremy Sarmiento and Moises Caicedo are important players for Alfaro’s side in the midfield department.
Verdict: Netherlands Win (8/10)
The Netherlands should have too much firepower for Ecuador here. Get on at 8/10.
