FIFA World Cup 2022: Players who could be among the first goal scorers in Qatar

The sporting world is all set to be hooked on to the FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar, which begins on November 20, Sunday. The tournament will officially kick off with a grand opening ceremony, which will be followed by the opening match of the marquee event. While hosts Qatar face their Group A rivals Ecuador in the tournament opener at the Al Bayt Stadium, here’s the look at the players who could be among the first goalscorers in Qatar, come Sunday night.

Enner Valencia - Ecuador

Enner Valencia is one of the leading candidates who could score a goal during the Qatar vs Ecuador game. Having played in the Premier League for big clubs like Everton and West Ham, the 33-year-old striker currently represents Turkish club Fenerbahce. He makes his 2nd World Cup appearance in 2022 after scoring all three of Ecuador’s goals during the 2014 edition. He is the all-time top goal scorer for Ecuador with a tally of 35 goals in 74 games.

Moises Caicedo - Ecuador

The 21-year-old Moises Caicedo already has 25 caps to his credit and could possibly score for Ecuador on Sunday. He plays as a central midfielder and has also represented the Premier League club, Brighton. Caicedo is most likely to play from the left of a three-man midfield. He has been already linked to Premier League giants like Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City and has an estimated transfer value of £80 million.

Almoez Ali - Qatar

Qatar’s central striker Almoez Ali is one of the key players for Qatar in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. With a total of 39 goals in 82 appearances for his national team, he might be one of the first goal-scorers in the tournament. The clinical striker was Qatar’s top goal scorer during the Asian and the Gold Cup.

Akram Afif - Qatar

Akram Afif is another leading candidate to score during the Qatar vs Ecuador match on Sunday. Known for his partnership with Almoez, Akram garnered a total of 15 assists in 12 games for Qatar in the Asian Cup and Gold Cup tournaments. He has scored a total of 76 goals in 124 appearances for Al Sadd, while assisting on 63 occasions. Afif’s goal tally for his national team stands at 24 in 83 matches.