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Ecuador eased previous World Cup debutants Qatar 2-0 on Sunday with two targets from veteran striker Enner Valencia in a primary opening sport defeat for a number nation within the event’s historical past.
Valencia scored an early penalty and added a well-taken Thirty first-minute header to present the South People a commanding first-half lead because the Qataris regarded overcome by the enormity of the event.
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It might have been even worse for the hosts in entrance of a 67,372 crowd on the Al Bayt stadium had Valencia, 33, not had a 3rd minute header disallowed for a marginal offside after goalkeeper Saad Alsheeb had flapped on the ball.
It was Alsheeb who later tripped Valencia when he was by way of on objective after which dived the unsuitable method because the Ecuadorean calmly dispatched the ensuing penalty within the sixteenth minute.
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For his second, Valencia was unmarked however nonetheless confirmed nice method to stoop and take Angelo Preciado’s cross nearly from behind him to move previous Alsheeb once more.
That objective killed the sport as a contest and the second half was performed at a gradual tempo, with many Qatar followers leaving earlier than the top as Ecuador’s followers chanted “Ole!”
Regardless of an enviously very long time to bond and practice collectively, together with summer season camps in Europe, Qatar regarded largely toothless. Almoez Ali had their finest likelihood on the finish of the primary half, heading extensive however then judged offside.
Mohammed Muntari additionally fired over within the dying minutes.
Either side now must play Senegal and the Netherlands within the group stage, with Qatar’s probabilities of choosing up factors or qualifying trying slim on this efficiency.
Ecuador are dreaming of surpassing their finest ever earlier World Cup exhibiting once they reached the final 16 in 2006.
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