FIFA 2022 World Cup: Group A Odds, Analysis and Tips
This summer should have been spent watching the 2022 World Cup, but sadly the delayed nature of the event in Qatar has left many of us scratching our heads and counting the days to the new club season.
Fortunately, the Women’s Euro 2022 provided a great deal of enjoyment, not least as it brought with it a very rare trophy, only the second ever to have been won by either the men’s or women’s team.
We are now, however, only just over 100 days away from the start of the World Cup, and the excitement is already building. Those of you who are already getting ready for the club season to kick off are no doubt trying to work out just how a World Cup that takes place in November and December will impact the footballing calendar while also pondering what moves to make in the World Cup betting market.
Profit Squad will be on hand to provide you with a host of tips and betting analysis for the tournament, and we’ll be covering each of the groups, in turn, to give you an idea of what betting possibilities exist in each.
Group A
Qatar
Ecuador
Senegal
Netherlands
- 21st November Senegal vs Netherlands 10 am
- 21st November Qatar vs Ecuador 4 pm
- 25th November Qatar vs Senegal 1 pm
- 25th November Netherlands vs Ecuador 4 pm
- 29th November Ecuador vs Senegal 3 pm
- 29th November Netherlands vs Qatar 3 pm
*All times are UK
Team Guides
Qatar
It’s not often that a World Cup host can only realistically be taking part because they didn’t need to qualify, but that’s certainly the case with Qatar. Not a great deal is expected of Felix Sanchez’s side, and frankly, it would be something of a miracle for them even to qualify from a fairly poor group.
Qatar has undergone a very aggressive build-up approach to the tournament and is set for a number of friendlies before they get underway with their opening fixture against Ecuador, which is the only one of the three matches they’ll take part in that they might just avoid losing.
Ecuador
Gustavo Alfaro’s Ecuador side qualified from the South American group with aplomb, finishing fourth and therefore avoiding the need to take part in a play-off to book passage to Qatar.
Five of their seven qualifying wins were on home soil, and this tends to be the case as the effect of the high altitude in the country can negatively impact the visiting sides. Impressively they drew with both Brazil and Argentina and possess a decent squad with players who ply their trade all over the world.
Former West Ham man Enner Valencia will be an important player in the Ecuador set-up, as will full-back Pervis Estupinan who plays for Spanish side Villarreal.
Senegal
The Senegalese Lions are well and truly roaring right now. Under Aliou Cisse (who played briefly for both Birmingham City and Portsmouth in the 2000s, Senegal secured their first ever major trophy as they saw off Egypt in the 2021 African Cup of Nations.
Barely a month later, Senegal then pipped the Egyptians for a place at the 2022 World Cup finals, and a big reason for the upturn in results comes in the form of reigning African Footballer of the Year Sadio Mane. The former Liverpool man, who is now looking to replicate his Anfield success at Bayern Munich, has been in monumental form over the past year but isn’t the only top talent in Cisse’s squad.
The likes of Idrissa Gueye (the former Everton man who’s now at PSG), Kalidou Koulibaly (Chelsea’s summer defensive signing) and Blues keeper Edouard Mendy are all more than capable of making a big impact in Qatar.
Netherlands
The Dutch are experiencing something of a renaissance after some rather lean years, and the depth of talent in Louis van Gaal’s squad is most impressive. The Netherlands should cruise through Group A and are a solid bet to make it far into the knockout stages, and a cursory glance at the world-class talents they have on display might even make a bet on the Oranje making it all the way to the final a decent option.
Holland failed to qualify for the 2018 finals in Russia but nonetheless has a rich history in the competition. In 2010 they were edged out by Spain in the final, and in 2014 they secured a third-place finish.
Van Gaal’s side is strong in the defence, with the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Matthijs de Ligt pulling the strings. In the midfield, Georgino Wijnaldum is a real threat, and up front, Memphis Depay has been in a rich vein of form.
Who Will Qualify
You can bank on the Netherlands to make it out of the group, probably without much fuss, and we’d confidently predict Senegal will do likewise. This will leave Ecuador and Qatar out in the cold, with the South Americans hoping to secure a point or three from their clash with the hosts.
Group A Winner Odds
- Netherlands 4/9
- Senegal 7/2
- Ecuador 6/1
- Qatar 16/1
