Group A Predictions 2022
Group A is one of the most difficult to predict at the upcoming tournament. The host nation are an unknown quantity as they prepare to make their debut at the tournament, while Ecuador and Senegal will both be targeting a place in the round of 16. The Netherlands are the strongest side in this section, but anything can happen in football…
Here is our preview of Group A, including players to watch, matches to look forward to and our prediction for which two teams will make it through.
Qatar
Record
This will be Qatar’s first-ever appearance at the World Cup. They did not even get close to reaching the 2018 edition, finishing bottom of their six-team group in the final section of the Asian qualification process. However, their triumph at the Asian Cup the following year offers hope that Qatar could spring a surprise or two this winter.
Even unfancied host nations tend to do well at World Cups. South Korea reached the semi-finals in 2002 and Russia reached the last eight four years ago; neither achievement was anticipated before the competition kicked off. Qatar will hope to accomplish something similar, but getting out of the group is their only objective for now.
Players to watch
Almoez Ali was the top scorer at the Asian Cup three years ago, finding the net nine times as Qatar scooped the trophy. The striker, who was born in Sudan but moved to Qatar as a child, plays his club football at home with Al-Duhail.
In fact, every player that will represent the hosts at this tournament plies his trade at club level in Qatar. Left-back Abdelkarim Hassan has racked up 124 appearances for his country before his 30th birthday, while Al Sadd forward Akram Afif is a creative presence in the final third.
Highlights from qualifying
Qatar qualified for the World Cup automatically as the host nation. In order to aid their preparations for the finals, Felix Sanchez’s side played friendlies against whichever of the five teams in Group A of UEFA’s qualification tournament was not in action on a particular matchday. However, their meetings with Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland and Serbia were not truly competitive fixtures.
Qatar were guest participants at the 2019 Copa America (where they exited in the group stage) and the 2021 Gold Cup (where they reached the semi-finals).
Ecuador
Record
Ecuador made their World Cup debut in 2002, but they went home with their tails between their legs after losing all three matches in Japan and South Korea. In the longer term, though, it was a valuable learning experience, and the South Americans reached the knockout stage of the tournament in Germany four years later.
Ecuador missed out on the World Cups of 2010 and 2018, in between which they were knocked out in the group phase of Brazil 2014.
Players to watch
At their best, Ecuador are a thrilling counter-attacking team that can transition from defence to attack in an instant. Bryon Castilla, a buccaneering right-back, is key to those efforts, as is the man on the opposite side of the backline, Pervis Estupinan.
Experience is provided by the former West Ham United striker Enner Valencia and the 34-year-old Angel Mena, but perhaps the star of the show is central midfielder Moises Caicedo, who has impressed Premier League audiences with his performances for Brighton & Hove Albion this season.
Highlights from qualifying
The South American qualification tournament is notoriously difficult, with Chile and Colombia among the teams to miss out this time around. Ecaudor were one of four teams to qualify automatically, finishing below only Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay after 18 rounds of fixtures.
Their best moments came at home, where Ecuador had the advantage of playing at altitude. They dispatched Uruguay 4-2 on matchday two and memorably thrashed Colombia 6-1 a month later. Neither Brazil nor Argentina was able to win in Quito, while Gustavo Alfaro’s side registered an excellent 2-0 victory over Chile away from home.
Senegal
Record
Senegal enjoyed one of the most memorable debut campaigns of any World Cup side in 2002. They stunned the holders (and the country’s former colonial power) France in the opening game, then drew with Denmark and Uruguay to advance to the knockout phase. Senegal proceeded to beat Sweden in extra time, before narrowly losing 1-0 to Turkey in the quarter-finals.
The Lions of Teranga did not appear again until 2018, when they became the first team in World Cup history to be eliminated because of their disciplinary record after finishing level on points, goal difference, goals scored and goals against with Japan.
Players to watch
Sadio Mane has not had the smoothest adjustment to life in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich, but he is still his nation’s talisman. The former Liverpool forward helped Senegal win the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year and he will be integral to anything they achieve in Qatar.
Kalidou Koulibaly also changed clubs over the summer, swapping Napoli for Chelsea. One of the best centre-backs in the world over the last few years, Koulibaly now plays in front of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy for both club and country.
Highlights from qualifying
There is little margin for error in Africa’s qualification tournament, which requires teams to come through a group stage before winning a two-legged play-off. Senegal made light work of Togo, Namibia and Congo in the first phase, then beat Egypt on penalties after a 1-1 draw on aggregate.
That shoot-out success was the obvious high point in a campaign which saw continental giants like Algeria and Nigeria – not to mention the Egyptians – fall short.
Netherlands
Record
The Netherlands are the World Cup’s nearly men: they have reached the final three times but are yet to get their hands on the trophy. Their first near-miss remains the most painful, despite the fact it is nearly 50 years ago. Led by Johan Cruyff, the Dutch dazzled the world in 1974 but were beaten 2-1 by West Germany in the final.
Minus Cruyff, they again made it through to the showpiece event of the 1978 edition. But for the second World Cup in a row, the Netherlands were downed by the tournament hosts, this time Argentina.
A less stylistically attractive Dutch team were the runners-up in 2010, as Andres Iniesta’s goal in extra time won the final for Spain.
Players to watch
Virgil van Dijk has not been at his imperious best for Liverpool since the 2022/23 campaign got under way, but there are few better centre-halves in world football. Louis van Gaal will depend heavily on his defensive qualities at the heart of a back three.
Memphis Depay is the main man at the other end of the field. The Barcelona forward scored more goals than any other player in the European qualification tournament, and seems to save his best form for the national team these days.
Highlights from qualifying
The Netherlands did not encounter too many difficulties in qualifying. They lost only one of their 10 matches, with seven wins ensuring they finished on top of Group G by a two-point margin.
Their campaign actually got off to a poor start with a 4-2 loss to Turkey, but Van Gaal’s men quickly turned the situation around by winning six of their next seven matches, the most notable of which was a 6-1 thrashing of the team they were beaten by on matchday one. Qualification was secured with a 2-0 defeat of Erling Haaland’s Norway last November.
Key matches
The opening match of a World Cup is always one of the highlights of the tournament, and although Qatar vs Ecuador is not the most eye-catching of fixtures, it does provide plenty of intrigue. A day later, Senegal vs Netherlands may determine which of those sides takes control of Group A.
On matchday three, Ecuador vs Senegal has the potential to be a winner-takes-all encounter between two teams who will be targeting a top-two finish.
Group prediction
1. Netherlands
2. Senegal
3. Qatar
4. Ecuador
