Will the Netherlands easily secure qualification, or will Qatar pull off a major upset?
The Netherlands and Qatar are on either side of the Group A table. Despite their draw against Ecuador in the 2nd round, the Dutch sit comfortably in first place. Qatar on the other hand lost both their games and became the first team to be eliminated from the tournament.
What was a bigger surprise for many than their result against Ecuador, was how easily the Netherlands were dominated by their South American opponents. They will be looking to make a statement against Qatar while securing qualification. History favours the Dutch against Asian opponents (100% win record), but they can’t let their guard down against a side with nothing to lose and risk missing out on the Ro16.
It is an understatement to say that the Qatar side is disappointed with their early elimination. They’re the first hosts since South Africa to not make it past the group stage. However, they will be hoping to emulate the 2010 hosts, by beating a European giant in their final game and ending on a high note.
Netherlands XI (3-4-1-2): Noppert; Ake, Van Dijk, De Ligt; Blind, De Jong, Berghuis, Dumfries; Gakpo; Bergwijn, Janssen
Qatar XI (5-3-2): Al Sheeb; Homam, Hassan, Khoukhi, Bassam, Pedro; Abdulaziz, Boudiaf, Al Haydos; Afif, Almoez
The Netherlands are expected to qualify for the Round of 16 stage which begins on 3rd December. If they top Group A they will face either face USA or Iran depending on who comes 2nd in Group B. In case they are runners-up, they will most likely face Group B’s expected winners England.
<img src="” title=”Netherlands vs Qatar: Lineups & LIVE updates” />
Liverpool have made it clear that they will not part ways with Luis Diaz unless… Read More
Crystal Palace’s European adventure has hit an unexpected snag. What looked like a historic qualification… Read More
Chelsea’s request for a delayed Premier League opener has been firmly rejected, leaving new manager… Read More
Viktor Gyokeres has decided enough is enough. The Swedish striker has reportedly refused to join… Read More
Winning the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Dover Motor Speedway—”The Monster Mile”—demands a gritty combination… Read More
The India A men’s hockey team began its European tour with a 1-3 defeat against… Read More