Ecuador vs Senegal: Winner Goes Through From Group A

• Ecuador only need a draw to advance to the knockout phase of the World Cup 2022
• Senegal will probably need to beat Ecuador in order to qualify for the round of 16
• Ecuador have impressed up to now and we fancy their chances of coming out on top

Ecuador vs Senegal Odds

The odds for Ecuador vs Senegal have been sourced from the FanDuel Sportsbook, which is offering punters a generous $1000 no-sweat first bet after you create an account.

Ecuador vs Senegal Pick

The South Americans have caught the eye up to now and they can secure a place in the knockout phase with a win.

• Back Ecuador to beat Senegal in this crunch clash in Group A (+140)

Ecuador vs Senegal Predictions

Ecuador Living Up To Dark Horse Tag With Impressive Displays

Before a ball was kicked in Qatar, Ecuador were tipped as potential World Cup 2022 dark horses. They impressed in South America’s notoriously tough qualification process, finishing fourth behind only Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay - countries that have all lifted the famous trophy on more than one occasion.

They also had the benefit of a reasonably kind draw. As hosts, Qatar were placed in Pot One alongside the likes of Brazil, Spain and France. Needless to say, they were the team everyone wanted to draw. Lady Luck smiled on Ecuador, as well as the Netherlands and Senegal.

Gustavo Alfaro’s side made light work of Qatar on opening night. It is true that Felix Sanchez’s players fell to the occasion, failing to deal with a level of pressure and expectation that they never experienced before. But Ecuador were mature and professional on their way to a 2-0 win. In truth they could easily have triumphed by a wider margin.

More impressive, though, was their performance against the Netherlands on Friday. If you did not know which nation was three-time World Cup finalists and had a team featuring players who ply their trade at some of the biggest clubs on the planet, you would not have guessed it was the Dutch.

Ecuador fell behind early on but they were much the better team thereafter. In the end they could consider themselves highly unfortunate not to have emerged with all three points. It was the Netherlands hanging on at the end, not Ecuador.

That will give Alfaro and his group confidence ahead of this must-not-lose meeting with Senegal, which looks set to determine which of the two teams advances alongside the Netherlands (who will progress as long as they avoid defeat by Qatar).

Senegal Beat Qatar But Clearly Missing Star Man Sadio Mane

For Senegal the calculation is simple: unless Qatar can pull off a major upset against the Netherlands, the Lions of Teranga must win this match in order to advance to the knockout stage of World Cup 2022.

Senegal held their own against the Netherlands on matchday one. It was an even game that looked set to end in stalemate, but two late goals from Cody Gakpo and Davy Klaassen were enough to get Louis van Gaal’s team over the line. Still, Aliou Cisse was able to take a few positives from his side’s performance.

Senegal then got the job done against Qatar, winning 3-1 on Friday. However, the game was not as comfortable as that scoreline appears to suggest. Qatar put Senegal under real pressure at times, and they could consider themselves hard done by when they were not given a penalty at 0-0.

Senegal were still the better team but they actually struggled to create clear openings against probably the weakest side in this tournament. That might sound strange given the winners of this year’s Africa Cup of Nations scored three times, but a lack of guile and creativity remains the primary question mark against this group.

Senegal are clearly missing Sadio Mane, their greatest ever player who was cruelly ruled out of the tournament through injury just days ahead of the big kick-off. Without the Bayern Munich forward, Cisse’s side have lacked a spark in attack. 

They still managed to score three goals against Qatar, but this will be a much stiffer test - and given the nature of Group A, the pressure will be ratcheted up a few notches too.

Ecuador Only Need A Draw But Back Them To Get Three Points

On occasion, knowing that a draw is enough to achieve your objective can work against a team. Going out with the intention of playing for a point would be a high-risk strategy, especially in a low-scoring sport like soccer. But it can be hard to match the level of urgency shown by a team that finds itself in a win-or-bust situation.

Ecuador will have to deal with that potentially tough balancing act on Monday. But when we consider the characteristics of Alvaro’s side, it might not be too problematic for la Tricolor.

Ecuador are a well-balanced team and they showed they are comfortable in possession in the 1-1 draw with the Netherlands. But they are at their best when there is space in front of them in transition. One of their preferred routes to goal is via a quick burst down the flanks.

With Senegal needing to score at least once at the Khalifa International Stadium, there should be plenty of opportunities for Ecuador to launch fast breaks forward. Enner Valencia has scored three goals so far and looks set to be fit despite an injury scare last time out. That is a huge boost for Alfaro and co.

Senegal have looked solid but not particularly inventive so far, whereas Ecuador have created chances against both Qatar and the Netherlands. That stands them in good stead for Monday’s pivotal encounter in Group A. Back Ecuador to beat Senegal in Al Rayyan.

How to Watch Ecuador vs Senegal

• Teams: Ecuador vs Senegal
• Location: Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar 
• Time: Tuesday, 29 November 2022, 10:00 AM EST
• How to Watch: Fox Sports, Telemundo, fuboTV