Ecuador will square off against Senegal at the Khalifa International Stadium in their final 2022 FIFA World Cup Group A game on Tuesday.
However, in their second game, they held the Netherlands to a 1-1 draw, Captain Enner Valencia scored all three goals for them in the competition but was stretchered off against the Netherlands.
Senegal head coach Aliou Cisse would be considering changes for his side’s must-win game against the Ecuadorian team.
Having lost to the Netherlands in their opening match, a 3-1 victory over Qatar kept the African champions’ hopes of advancing to the last 16 alive but Ecuador’s draw against the Oranje gives the South American’s the edge at Khalifa International Stadium.
Kick-off -16:00 G.M.T
Venue – Al Khalifa Stadium
Team news
Senegal has been forced to cope without talisman Sadio Mane in this tournament and they will have to find a result without the Bayern Munich forward again when they face Ecuador.
With Mane left at home, Senegal does have a fully fit squad in Qatar so Aliou Cisse may field the same starting XI that he did in the win against the hosts.
For the second game in a row, Ecuador has been left to sweat over the fitness of Enner Valencia. After scoring the equaliser against the Netherlands, he left the pitch on a stretcher.
The South Americans will be desperate to have him fit for the final group game and he hopes to be available again against Senegal.
Senegal (4-2-3-1):
(Edouard) Mendy, Sabaly, Koulibaly, Diallo, Jakobs; (Nampalys) Mendy, (Idrissa) Gueye; Sarr, Dia, Diatta; Diedhiou.
Ecuador (4-2-3-1):
Galindez, Preciado, Torres, Hincapie, Estupinian; Caicedo, Cifuentes; Plata, Estrada, Ibarra; Valencia.
Odds /prediction
A tight contest is expected in the winner-takes-all clash, though our match predictor gives Ecuador the better chance of a win at 42.4%.
Senegal’s hopes of getting the win they require to continue their exploits in Qatar are given a likelihood of 30.1%, narrowly ahead of a draw at 27.5%.