Some opening matches at the World Cup evoke fantastic memories; Cameroon stunning holders Argentina in 1990, Scotland giving Brazil a bloody nose in 1994, Baba Diop's goal handing Senegal victory over champions France in 2002 or hosts Russia's 5-0 demolition of Saudi Arabia that got the party started in 2018.
But… today's opener doesn't look like it's going to be a classic. In terms of FIFA ranking it's 50th in the world versus 44 when Qatar and Ecuador meet at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor.
There's no getting away from the fact that this edition of the greatest tournament in the world has been dogged by controversy, mostly centred around the host nation, but at 4pm the talking will stop, at least for 90 minutes, and the action will begin.
Of course this is Qatar's first appearance at a World Cup Finals. No qualifiation means they've not played a competitive game this year. Their last was in the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup, which they also hosted, where they topped their group and eventually finished 3rd after losing in the semi-finals to an Algerian penalty in the 17th minute of stoppage time!
That will have given them some invaluable tournament experience as hosts but Ecuador could present an altogether more difficult challenge.
La Tri qualified automatically, finishing fourth in the CONMEBOL standings, largely down to their home form where they went through the campaign unbeaten. The same can't be said of their matches on the road, just two wins in nine which must be a concern 14,000km from home.
Both sides will be keen to avoid defeat. Remarkably from 1966-1978 the opening fixture resulted in a 0-0 draw. The four openers that followed finished 1-0, 1-1, 1-0 & 1-0. Eight of the last twelve have finished Under 2.5 Goals, six of them under 1.5. It's only been in recent editions (three of the last four) we've seen the golas flow.
Neither of today's two sides are bursting with attacking talent so it could be a close, but dull enounter. Under 2.5 is predictably short at just 1/2 and Under 1.5 is tempting at 13/8. A goalless first half appeals at 6/5 and the 0-0 scoreline can't be ruled out at 11/2.
Our in-depth World Cup coverage is now up and running. Big thanks to KevMac, Mark Walker and SlipsTips for giving us the benefit of their research and insight for the upcoming tournament. Group by Group Betting Tips are all available Group A, Group B, Group C, Group D, Group E, Group F, Group G, Group H as well as featured markets; Golden Boot, Golden Glove, Group Stage Acca, Dark Horses and Outright Winners.
We'll also be previewing all 64 matches in Qatar in partnership with Highbet who'll be providing exclusive free bets as prizes throughout the tournament. Watch this space!
Super Singles
- Qatar v Senegal – Under 1.5 Goals 13/8 Bet365
Bonkers Bet
- Qatar 0 Senegal 0 11/2 Bet365
Upcoming Match Previews & Tips
- Sun 16:00 Qatar vs Ecuador
- Mon 13:00 England vs Iran
Racing Tips
No Cruise Yet was a welcomed Saturday winner tipped up at 10/1 by Rizzel. He has two selections for Sunday's racing, including his NAP making his chase debut at Cork from a 1346 day absence.
As always, let us know your best betting tips and predictions for today in the comments section below and good luck with all your bets!
World Cup 2022 Coverage
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- Group by Group Betting Tips; Group A, Group B, Group C, Group D, Group E, Group F, Group G, Group H.
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- Highbet: Sportsbook and online casino with 30+ sports, 100's of betting markets and competitive betting odds.
In December 2020 we sadly 
Denmark Division 2
13.00 AB v Thisted FC
AB to win and over 1.5 team goals @2.10 NAP
Side bets
AB to win and over 2.5 goals @2.60
AB over 2.5 team goals @3.25
All with Bet365.
AB sits on the 4th place, 15 points ahead of Thisted that are 8th, and score for fun: 37 goals in 14 games this year and 23 in 7 home games. They have scored at least 2 goals in 12/14 games and 7/7 home games, with 5 wins and 2 draws – in 4/7 home games, they scored 3 goals or more and 6/7 home games have seen overs. They have won 5 in a row and beat Thisted 2-1 away last month.
Thisted have conceded 14 goals in 6 away games and had lost 5 consecutive games before beating Frem (that sits 11th just above the bottom team) at home last week. Their last away game was a 5-0 loss at leaders Aarhus, who are only 4 points above AB having played an extra game.
Italy Serie C Group C
13.30 Catanzaro v Gelbison
13.30 Fidelis Andria v Monterosi
13.30 Messina v Potenza
Over 1.5 match goals treble @2.55 (William Hill/Skybet)
13.30 Catanzaro v Gelbison – Catanzaro over 1.5 team goals
13.30 Latina v Juve Stabia – under 2.5 goals
Double @2.60 (Bet365)
Good luck with your bets today.
Japanese leagues are not renowned for goals but it’s the final round of fixtures in the J League 3 so going for an extremely speculative long shot…
All 9 J League 3 games 5am KO’s
Over 2.5 Match Goals ACCA – 0.1 units @ 91.68
Club Friendly – Everton v Celtic
Ange will be keen for a positive result, after a possibly jetlagged Celtic side were firmly beaten by Sydney FC a few days ago. Now that his team are rested and hopefully acclimated to Sydney, I fancy them to be in a much better state than they were a few days ago. I fancy Furuhashi and co, to really have a go for their manager, against a severely depleted Everton side. And I fancy them to be right at Everton from the first whistle.
Tips:
Celtic – score first half @ 1.90 (NAP)
Celtic – score both halves @ 3.40
Big fat fail. Celtic had almost all the chances, and should have scored 2-3 times, but alas their finishing was atrocious in the first half.
🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸 ESPANA 🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸
Celta B v Rayo Majadahonda
11:00 am
Spanish Primera Division RFEF Group 1
BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE 21-20 (HILLS) 🇪🇸 NB 🇪🇸
side bets
Over 2.5 match goals 6-5 (HILLS)
BTTS and over 2.5 goals 13-8 (BET365)
don’t normally post in daylight hours 🧛♂️🦇 but the stats were too good to ignore here.
Celta BTTS in 15 of last 17 home games and Conceded in all 17.
14 of the 17 BTTS and over 2.5 goals.
Celta BTTS in 11 of last 12 games home and away and conceded in all 12.
Rayo seen BTTS and over 2.5 goals in 8 of their last 11 games and conceded in all 11.
Same fixture in February finished 3-1.
🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸
Elvis you’re a Genius
Magic mate thanks 👌
Cheers guys 🇪🇸👍.
Finished 3-1 like last time …….
🇶🇦. Qatar v Ecuador 🇪🇨
A goal in both halves at 11/10
Moises Caicedo to be booked at 5/1
Best of luck
Macca.. what bookie is giving 5s on Caicedo? Ta
B365 mate.
Thanks, great price
It is Fitzy just hope he’s the same as what he is in League football.
Well done..Caicedo yellow cards
Easy money.
Japanese leagues are not renowned for goals but it’s the final round of fixtures in the J League 3 so going for an extremely speculative long shot…
All 9 J League 3 games 5am KO’s
Over 2.5 Match Goals ACCA – 0.1 units @ 91.68
❌️❌️❌️ – Turned out to be an extremely speculative long shot as predicted. 6 out of 9 went over 2.5 but there was a 1-1, a 1-0 and a 0-0 to down this one. Worth a punt on the round of fixtures in any league!
*final
Qatar Vs Ecuador
10.5 over corners 2/1 bet365 NAP
Good luck to everyone 👍
Morning gents,
Can hardly say I’m gripped by World Cup frenzy but sure that will change whenthings get going!
Ecuador are a decent side and think the South American teams will thrive in this tournament…especially if the air conditioning breaks down 😂
My angle for the opener combines corners and cards for the Ecuadorians:
QUATAR VS. ECUADOR (4.00pm)
ECUADOR OVER 3.5 TEAM CORNERS
ECUADOR OVER 1.5 TEAM CARDS
(23/20, bet365) NAP ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ECUADOR 1+ CARD IN EACH HALF
(9/5, bet365) NB ⭐️⭐️
ECUADOR OVER 5.5 TEAM CORNERS
ECUADOR OVER 3.5 TEAM CARDS
(14/1, bet365) LONGSHOT ⭐️
Best of luck with all bets today 🏆🌍
Norway v Finland
Over 1 corner first 15 min 5/4
Over 3 first half corners for Norway 2/1
Hills
Over 4 first half corners in the match 1/1
Bet365
1/1 WINNER
2/1 LOSER
5/4 LOSER
Could have been worse .
Norway never woke up until they went a goal down
AB Copenhagen over 2.5mgs
Rielasingen arlen btts
Catanzaro over 1.5tgs
Treble 3/1
Good luck
Qatar v Ecuador 16.00 KO – 365 betbuilder 7/1
Ali & Valencia 1+ SOT
Both teams to receive 1+ cards
3+ cards
3+ HT corners
9+ corners
—
Betfair free £2 BB pays £75+
Ali & Valencia to score
Ali & Valencia 2+ SOT
Ali & Valencia 3+ shots
—
Also on Gakpo EW top goal scorers since Depay misses the 1st game through injury. 50/1 so fiver EW with free fiver for each game he scores in, pretty straight forward group for Dutch and can see them going far this tournament
INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY
Luxembourg v Bulgaria 14.00
Over 2.5 Match Goals.. 6/5 NAP
☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️
Bulgaria 2+ Goals.. 15/8 NB
☀️ ☀️ ☀️
Bulgaria 3+ Goals.. 15/2
☀️
SKYBET…… Good Luck…… 🤞
Nope, finished a boring 0-0..👎
Betfred special at Qatar v Ecuador
1+ SOT inside 20 mins EVENS
Thanks for this 👍
AB Copenhagen over 2.5mgs
Rielasingen arlen btts
Catanzaro over 1.5tgs
Treble 3/1**WON**
Good shooting dc,well in Elvis/Astos for his overs made a nice double.
Qatar v Ecuador
Pen scored 3/1 Hills
I wonder how lenient the refs will be towards pens in these opening games .
I suspect the Qatar team may be treated very favourably due to “brown envelopes” or gifts of supercars 😉
That was my thinking as well Chris .
Almost worth chucking a fiver on Qatar to win the World Cup – they’ve bribed everything else 🤣
Belter 👏
🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸
Real Madrid B
V
San Fernando
17:00
Spanish Primera Division RFEF Group
BOTH teams to score EVENS (bet365)
Stats not as strong as the earlier game and all about the away goal.
Madrid scored in last 17 home games
San Fernando scored in 14 of last 16 away games and in 13 of last 14 games home an away.
Prediction 2-1
🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸
See if it’s to be under 1.5 which is most folks thoughts in the World Cup opener which a no score draw or 1-0 then Bet365 do..
“Money back 0-0 bore draw” so at 8/1 Qatar 1-0 and 11/2 Ecuador 1-0 I’ll be having that and 1-1 is 11/2 🤔
Q 3-3 but they’re my stinking thinking!
GL
Fancy Scotland to win it myself and I know they’ve not qualified BUT that’s when Scotland are at their most dangerous…when everyone has written them off! 😋😂👍
both teams to score
fc andorra v lugo
ladbrokes 13/10
NAP
BELGIAN FIRST DIVISION
Deinze v Leirse K 15.00
Leirse K 2+ Goals.. 11/10 NAP
☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️
SKYBET…… Good Luck…… 🤞
👎
Denmark Division 2
13.00 AB v Thisted FC
AB to win and over 1.5 team goals @2.10 NAP ✅
Side bets
AB to win and over 2.5 goals @2.60 ✅
AB over 2.5 team goals @3.25 ❌
Finished 2-1 – well done all winners.
888sport – Bet £10 on team to win World Cup & get £5 free bet for every match they win.
Seems quite good if you pick a favourite & they get through to the latter stages.
Israeli goals and corners could be a good angle too take.
Cyprus and clean sheets on their travels are rare,they’ve conceded in 70 of their last 75 away days spanning 20yrs & have conceded 2+ in 8 of their last 9 away from home. Israel have scored in 20 of their last 21 homes & netted 2+ in each of their last 7
Cyprus dont collect many corners and have lost the corner count in their last 4 games by 29-5….8-2,11-2,6-1,4-0. In fact Cyprus havent won a corner count
I dinny do online so ill have to get prices instore when i nip over but i like Israel too score 3 at 7/4
***Cyprus havent won a corner count in any of their last 7
Cause they love a good throw in Smokey Joe!
😉
GL
Belgium 1st Division B in-play
Deinze v Lierse – 11/5 – 17 mins 365 BB
1+ HT gl
BTTS/OVERS
Italy Serie C Group C
13.30 Catanzaro v Gelbison ✅
13.30 Fidelis Andria v Monterosi ❌
13.30 Messina v Potenza ✅
Over 1.5 match goals treble @2.55 (William Hill/Skybet) ❌
13.30 Catanzaro v Gelbison – Catanzaro over 1.5 team goals ✅
13.30 Latina v Juve Stabia – under 2.5 goals ✅
Double @2.60 (Bet365) ✅
One goal short for the full house – good luck with the rest of your day.
Dundee goal short yesterday 👎
QATAR v ECUADOR
Hassan Al Haydos (Qatar)
Gonzalo Plata (Ecuador)
Both to be booked
(36/1, betfair)
Using the free bonus so may be better odds elsewhere.
Couple of small stakes for interest
Estrada Ags 9/4
Over 1.5mgs
Qatar 10+ booking points
Ecuador 20+ booking points
Each team 3+ corners
Estrada, Valencia & afif 1+ shot on target
11/1
Good luck
Lost crap
It’ll be Yourodds betbuilders at the World Cup for me,free 5er bet for the following day when you put a £5+ betbuilder on World Cup matches. Might aswell utilise it
Qatar v Ecuador
Under 3.5 match goals
1 card each & 3+ match cards
Ecuador most corners & Qatar 2+ team corners
2/1
Hi smokey what bookie is this promotion with? Cheers
WORLD CUP 22
Qatar v Ecuador 16.00
Both Teams to Score.. Evs NAP
☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️
Ecuador 2+ Goals.. 13/8 NB
☀️ ☀️ ☀️
M. Caceido to Score.. 9/2
☀️
SKYBET…… Good Luck…… 🤞
All the match fixing theories looking like they might hold some traction…..what kind of a decision was that?!
Belgium 1st Division B in-play
Deinze v Lierse – 11/5 – 17 mins 365 BB
1+ HT gl
BTTS/OVERS
👍👍👍
Betfred special in aswell, thought the dodgy offside was gonna kill it early doors
Pen scored Qatar v Ecuador 3/1 WINNER
Great price Cocker 👍
both teams to score
fc andorra v lugo
ladbrokes 13/10
NAP lost
Quatar are red rotten easy for ECU. Senegal 5/4 to beat them next looks sweet .The Dutch will give them a doing as wellone thinks.
both teams to score
pacos ferreira v casa pia
william hill evens
NB
🇪🇸 RACING SANTANDER v BURGOS
🌍 SAINT LUCIA v SAN MARINO
Under 2.5 Match Goals Double
(1.02/1, william hill)
▪️NAP
No joy with the betfair free punt with the Qatari lad being subbed.
Got the Nb, one corner shy for the Nap!
ECUADOR 1+ CARD IN EACH HALF
(9/5, bet365) NB ⭐️⭐️ ✅️
👍
Qatar v Ecuador
A goal in both halves at 11/10 lost
Moises Caicedo to be booked at 5/1 WON
a ggod start shame about no second half goal
Well done all winners
Great shout on the yellow macca 🕺
Anderlecht II over 1.5tgs 5/6
Add benfica over 2.5tgs double 11/5
Over 3.5mgs double 7/2
Good luck
Malta v Rep of Ireland
John Egan to score anytime at 9/1
Austria v Italy
Sticking with my corners
Over 4 first half corners 13/10 Bet365
Over 1 corner 1st 15 min 13/10
Over 2 first half Austria corners 2/1
Hills
” The hills are alive to the sound of corners ” Full house in Austria
17/10
17/10
2/1
Delighted with that .
Well done all winners
Oops that should be 2 at 13/10 not 17/10
🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲 JAMAICA 🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲
Montego bay
V
Arnett Gardens
20:15
Jamaican Premier League
BOTH teams to score 10-11 NAP 🇯🇲
Side bet
BTTS and over 2.5 goals 13-8
Both at HILLS….
Montego scored in 8 of last 9 games and BTTS in 4 of last 5 home games and scored in all 5.
Arnett gardens scored in 14 of last 15 games and scored in last 8 away games with 7 of these BTTS.
Prediction 1-2
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Brilliant Elvis!
Cheers Oscar 👍
Did anyone take notice about the Aruba league…..there’s a game between national and united…..all 3 h2h had loads of goals in them ….national win and over 4 goals pays 6/5….any comments ?
Anderlecht II over 1.5tgs 5/6
Add benfica over 2.5tgs double 11/5
Over 3.5mgs double 7/2
Lost as finished 1-2 in Belgium
Well done all winners today
2-1 in Belgium
🇪🇸 RACING SANTANDER v BURGOS
🌍 SAINT LUCIA v SAN MARINO
Under 2.5 Match Goals Double
(1.02/1, william hill)
▪️NAP
✔️
1-0 to Burgos and 1-0 to Saint Lucia.
Well done all winners.
🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲 JAMAICA 🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲
Montego bay
V
Arnett Gardens
20:15
Jamaican Premier League
BOTH teams to score 10-11 NAP 🇯🇲
Side bet
BTTS and over 2.5 goals 13-8
Both at HILLS….
Montego scored in 8 of last 9 games and BTTS in 4 of last 5 home games and scored in all 5.
Arnett gardens scored in 14 of last 15 games and scored in last 8 away games with 7 of these BTTS.
Prediction 1-2
🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲
Finished 2-1 🇯🇲👍⚽