Qualifying for a place in the next phase of the 2022 World Cup, Ecuador and Senegal face each other this Tuesday, at 12h (Brasília time), for the third and final round of Group A. The direct confrontation for the classification will be played at the Internacional Khalifa stadium, in Doha, Qatar.
A draw qualifies Ecuador for the next round. To finish at the top of the group, the South American team depends on the result of the Netherlands against Qatar, in a game that will be played at the same time. In the event of defeat, the Ecuadorians will have to rely on a victory for the Qatari team by a goal difference sufficient enough to top the Dutch in the table.
The tendency is for coach Gustavo Alfaro to repeat the tactical formation used against the Netherlands, in the second round, with three defenders. The only change will be because of Méndez’s suspension. Cifuentes is the one who should win the chance. Gruezo, who has recovered from an injury, and Alan Franco are on the outside.
Senegal advances to the round of 16 with a simple victory, without depending on another result. In case of a tie, the African team will only pass the stage if Qatar defeats the Netherlands by three or more goals.
Aliou Cissé has virtually the entire squad available for Tuesday’s match. Only midfielder Cheikhou Kouyaté, with a right thigh injury, is out of the game. The trend is that Aliou Cissé repeat the lineup of the team that defeated Qatar, in the last round.
Who wins? Ecuador vs Senegal: Predictions and Prediction!
Ecuador (FIFA ranking 44) won with Qatar’s property and managed a draw against the favorite Netherlands, and now against Senegal they play for a draw to qualify, with chances of even being the leader of the group. Their record for the last five games is now (1W,4L) four draws and a win.
The team’s strengths are its defense, which has conceded just one goal in the last eight games, and its top scorer Enner Valencia, responsible for the team’s three goals in this World Cup.
Senegal (number 18 in the ranking) had a good game against the Netherlands, but failed to score points, which left the team at a disadvantage in the tight group, and now it needs to win to get its place in the next phase.
With the victory over Qatar, the team’s record in the last five games is now (3W,1D,1D) of three wins, one draw and one loss.
– Ecuador 0.0 (Tie returns)
The match between Ecuador and Senegal is very balanced and we believe that Senegal’s disadvantage in the table will make the team play for the attack, while Ecuador should bet on the counterattack to define the match. We bet on a victory for the South American team, but in this one, we’re going to prevent a return tie.
– Less than 2.5 goals
Ecuador has been undefeated for nine games and in all these matches, less than three goals have been scored, so we will bet on the Ecuadorian defensive solidity so that the line is met again.
