As far as opening games goes, this might not quite whet the appetite as some would want. If you do not pay attention to Asian or South American football, this could make the Russia-Saudi Arabia game of 2018 sound mesmeric by comparison. Strip away the negativity, though, and Qatar are the current Asian champions while Ecuador are a very handy outfit with excellent tactical acumen.
This could actually be a very good opening game. Why? Because it is so open. The Qatar national team is imbalanced and arguably not physically strong enough to handle a robust fight with the more aggressive Ecuador team. They do, though, boast technical proficiency that could match many teams in Europe – this creates a very intriguing dynamic where we could see the host nation surprise a few with their performance.
Given Holland and Senegal make up the other teams, too, both teams know they more or less need a win here or they will face an early exit.
Who will win this tie?
Two decent teams who are better than they are given credit for, but who have enough deficiencies to miss a shot at glory. Ecuador are adept, physically sound, fast in transition, and capable of scoring goals on the break. They also have in Moses Caicedo one of the most exciting young midfielders around.
Qatar have some very interesting players in most positions, but probably no real star names. Their strength is their teamwork and the fact that they have played together for so long. Definitely not an easy game to call, but there is a case that Qatar might end up being out muscled by a tough opponent.
VERDICT: 1-3