Group A
Qatar
How qualified – Hosts
Best performance – Debutants
Squad
Goalkeepers: Saad Al-Sheeb, Meshaal Barsham, Yousef Hassan
Defenders: Pedro Miguel, Musaab Khidir, Tarek Salman, Bassam Al-Rawi, Boualem Khoukhi, Abdelkarim Hassan, Homam Ahmed, Jassem Gaber
Midfielders: Ali Asad, Assim Madabo, Mohammed Waad, Salem Al-Hajri, Moustafa Tarek, Karim Boudiaf, Abdelaziz Hatim, Ismail Mohamad
Forwards: Naif Al-Hadhrami, Ahmed Alaaeldin, Hassan Al-Haydos, Khalid Muneer, Akram Afif, Almoez Ali, Mohamed Muntari
Ecuador
How qualified – 4th in COMNEBOL Group
Best performance – Last 16 2006
Squad
Goalkeepers: Moises Ramirez, Alexander Dominguez, Hernan Galindez
Defenders: Piero Hincapie, Robert Arboleda, Pervis Estupinan, Angelo Preciado, Jackson Porozo, Xavier Arreaga, Felix Torres, Diego Palacios, William Pacho
Midfielders: Carlos Gruezo, Jose Cifuentes, Alan Franco, Moises Caicedo, Angel Mena, Jeremy Sarmiento, Ayrton Preciado, Sebastian Mendez, Gonzalo Plata, Romario Ibarra
Forwards: Djorkaeff Reasco, Kevin Rodriguez, Michael Estrada, Enner Valencia
Senegal
How qualified – Won CAF qualifier
Best performance – QFs 2002
Squad
Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy, Alfred Gomis, Seny Dieng.
Defenders: Kalidou Koulibaly, Abdou Diallo, Youssouf Sabaly, Fode Ballo-Toure, Pape Abdou Cisse, Ismail Jakobs, Formose Mendy.
Midfielders: Idrissa Gueye, Cheikhou Kouyate, Nampalys Mendy, Krepin Diatta, Pape Gueye, Pape Matar Sarr, Pathe Ciss, Moustapha Name, Loum Ndiaye.
Forwards: Ismaila Sarr, Boulaye Dia, Bamba Dieng, Famara Diedhiou, Nicolas Jackson, Iliman Ndiaye.
Netherlands
How qualified – Won UEFA Group G
Best performance – Finalists 1974, 1978 and 2010
Squad
Goalkeepers: Justin Bijlow, Andries Noppert, Remko Pasveer
Defenders: Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Ake, Daley Blind, Jurrien Timber, Denzel Dumfries, Stefan de Vrij, Matthijs de Ligt, Tyrell Malacia, Jeremie Frimpong.
Midfielders: Frenkie de Jong, Steven Berghuis, Davy Klaassen, Teun Koopmeiners, Marten de Roon, Cody Gakpo, Kenneth Taylor, Xavi Simons.
Forwards: Memphis Depay, Steven Bergwijn, Vincent Janssen, Luuk de Jong, Noa Lang, Wout Weghorst.
Fixtures
Sunday 20 November
Qatar vs Ecuador – 4pm – BBC
Monday 21 November
Senegal vs Netherlands – 4pm – ITV
Friday 25 November
Qatar vs Senegal – 1pm – BBC
Netherlands vs Ecuador – 4pm – ITV
Tuesday 29 November
Ecuador vs Senegal – 3pm – ITV
Netherlands vs Qatar – 3pm – ITV
Group Preview
The first group to get Qatar 2022 underway will be Group A where the host nation Qatar are the top seeds in what looks a fairly open section behind the Netherlands who are the odds on favourites to finish top of the pile. Host nations have a good record in this tournament and it might be that Qatar matches are the only truly well supported games in the competition. South American side Ecuador will take on the hosts in the opening game and will be looking to make their mark on the tournament while Senegal were dealy a blow when Sadio Mane was ruled out of the event late on but they too will be looking for a way to make it through to the round of 16.
Group Betting
I happen to think that this will be a wide open group because all three teams behind the Netherlands will feel that they can come out of this group and hopefully that will inspire them to play some open and expansive football. If they do then the Dutch are certainly going to add to that trend so we should see plenty of goal action in this group. I don’t see this as a high scoring tournament but Qatar matches tend to be wide open affairs and Ecuador aren’t the tightest team in the world either. Clearly the injury to Sadio Mane hasn’t helped the scoring potential in the group but the 13/2 that this is the highest scoring group carries plenty of mileage.
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Team Bets
There isn’t a huge amount that I like within the four teams here that I haven’t taken outright but one bet that does look a little on the big side now that Sadio Mane is injured is the 5/6 on Senegal not to qualify. They didn’t come out of their group in Russia four years ago with him in their side so there is certainly no guarantee they come out without him around. Mane is very much the talisman of this side and although they have other forwards, they have none which put the fear in teams like the Bayern Munich star does.
The other issue that Senegal have is they have the hardest test in the group first and if they come a cropper against the Dutch as many expect them to then they will have their backs against the wall right from the beginning. That is never a position a team wants to be in and so it might well be that while they might well be competitive in their second and third games, finding a win which they’ll need to progress proves beyond them.
Tips
Back Group A – Highest Scoring Group for a 1/10 stake at 7.50 with Boylesports
Back Senegal NOT to qualify for a 2/10 stake at 1.83 with Boylesports
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