FIFA World Cup 2022: Everything you need to know about Qatar vs Ecuador tonight | Football News

The 2022 edition of the FIFA World Cup is unique in more ways than one. For the first time, we have a Winter World Cup. This of course meant that the pause button had to be pressed in domestic leagues and other matches, especially in Europe.
There are many firsts this time around, including the use of the first-ever temporary stadium in World Cup history. Stadium 974 in Doha is made from 974 recycled shipping containers and will be dismantled after the World Cup.

It is also the first time since 1982 that the tournament has started on a Sunday and the first time that it has been held in the Middle East.
As usual, the hosts are kicking off the tournament and on Sunday the 2022 edition will kick off with a Group A game between Qatar and Ecuador.

Here’s everything you need to know about the two teams ahead of this edition’s opening game, which will see 32 countries battle it out to claim football’s holy grail:
Venue: Al Bayt Stadium
Kick-off time: 9:30 p.m. IST
Face-to-face:
Matches: 3 (all in Qatar)
Won by Qatar: 1
Won by Ecuador: 1
Drawn: 1
Total goals scored: 6
Last meeting: Qatar beat Ecuador 4-3 in a friendly match in October 2018
QATAR
FIFA Ranking: 50
Coach: Felix Sanchez

Full staff:
Guardians: Saad Al Sheeb, Yousuf HassanMeshaal Barsham
Defenders: Pedro Miguel, Mohammed Waad, Tarek SalmanMussab Khidir, Homam Ahmed, Bassam Hisham, Boualem Khoukhi, Ismail Mohamad
Midfielders: Abdelkarim Hassan, Abdulhaziz Hatem, Ali Hassadalla, Hassan Alhaydos (captain), Karim Boudiaf, Salem AL Hajri, Asim Madibo, Naif AbdulRaheemJassem Gaber, Mostafa Tarek Meshaal
Forwards: Ahmed Alaaeldin, Mohammed Mungtari, Akram Afif, Khalid Muneer, Almoez Ali

Key talking points:
Qatar make their World Cup debut
They hope they won’t become just the second hosts to fail to make it out of the group stage. A similar fate met South Africa in the 2010 edition
A Qatar win against Ecuador would make them the first AFC nation to win their first-ever World Cup match. The last World Cup debutants to win their first-ever game were Senegal – they beat defending champions France 1-0 in the 2002 edition.
Qatar have won 3 of their previous matches at Al Bayt Stadium

Recent performances:
Won their last 4 warm-up friendlies since October this year
2019 AFC Asian Cup Champions – Beat Japan 3-1 in the final
Striker Almoez Ali was the top scorer in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, scoring 9 goals from 10 shots on target. It is also the most goals ever scored by a player in a single edition of the tournament.
Last 6 games: L, D, W, W, W, W
Possible starting composition:
Al Sheeb — Miguel, Al-Wari, salmanHassan, Ahmed — Boudiaf, Hatem — Al-Haydos — Afif, Ali
ECUADOR
FIFA Ranking: 44
Coach: Gustav Alfaro

Full staff:
Guardians: Hernan Galindez, Moises Ramirez, Alexander Dominguez
Defenders: Felix Torres, Piero Hincapie, Robert Arboleda, William PachoPervis Estupinan, Xavier ArreagaAngelo Preciado, Diego Jose Palacios Jackson Porozo
Midfielders: José Cifuentes, Carlos Gruezo, Eduar Preciado, Romario Ibarra, Angel Mena, Jeremy Sarmiento, Gonzalo Plata, Jhegson Mendez, Alan Franco, Moises Caicedo
Forwards: Michael Estrada, Enner ValenceDjorkaeff Reasco, Kevin Rodriguez

Key talking points:
Ecuador return to World Cup final after 8 years
They were reportedly threatened with expulsion after fielding an ineligible player in the qualifying rounds
Ecuador have played in three previous editions – 2002, 2006 and 2014 – but only made it past the group stage once.
Their best performance at the FIFA World Cup dates back to 2006, when they reached the round of 16.
Of the 10 FIFA World Cup matches they have played so far, only one has ended in a draw – 0-0 with France in 2014. So far they have won 5 and lost 4 FIFA World Cup matches.
Left-back Pervis Estupinan created as many as 22 chances in the South American leg of World Cup qualifying – the most of any defender

Recent performances:
6 clean sheets in 6 games since June this year
Since June, they have scored only twice. 4 of those 6 matches ended 0-0
Last 6 matches: W, D, W, D, D, D
Possible starting composition:
Dominguez — Preciado, Torres, Hincapie, Estupinan — Cifuentes, Gruezo, Caicedo, Plata — Valencia, Estrada