Farewell match for the host nation
The skirmish at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is finally over at the latest. The last group matches are on the agenda and for many teams it is already a final. It’s not quite as dramatic for the Elftal, but in our Holland vs Qatar betting tips we take a look at who will make it through to the next round in Group A and under what conditions.
After two games, the Netherlands and Ecuador are at the top of the standings with four points each and a goal difference of +2. While Ecuador have everything to play for in their parallel match against Senegal (3 points, 3 goals to 3), a draw against the already eliminated hosts from Qatar will be enough for the Dutch to advance to the next round.
But a draw cannot be the Europeans’ ambition. No less than group victory is the goal and for that the Dutch must win more than Ecuador against the African champions. Only then will they be able to avoid a round of 16 match against England. We think that should be possible and give a prediction on the group victory of the eleven before the match between Holland and Qatar.
This is the fourth time Holland have played a World Cup host and their record so far is negative with 1-2 wins. However, they did face Germany and Argentina in the 1974 and 1978 finals and Brazil in the third-place match in 2014. These were all of a different calibre to the Qataris. We therefore expect the Dutch to improve their record against the hosts on Tuesday.
Holland – Statistics & current form
The Dutch have travelled to Qatar to end up taking home the FIFA World Cup for the first time in the association’s history. If you believe the media coverage, Louis van Gaal’s cancer has welded the team together. The Elftal’s performances alone do not currently suggest that the Dutch will go far.
Strong series of the Elftal
However, Oranje have the statistics on their side. For example, all four games against Asian teams in World Cups have been won. Moreover, the Dutch have only lost the last group game once in their World Cup history, and that was against Scotland in 1978 of all places, when they had one of the best Dutch teams in history.
Moreover, the Elftal is now unbeaten in 17 international matches. That’s why we don’t need to look at the odds on a win for the World Cup hosts before the clash between Holland and Qatar. After the 2-0 opening win against Senegal, Louis van Gaal’s team only managed a 1-1 draw against Ecuador in their second match. Again, Cody Gakpo was successful.
It is remarkable that the Dutch have only managed four shots on goal in two World Cup matches. But it is all the more astonishing that three of these attempts were successful. Memphis Depay is one who can clearly exude more scoring danger. He has been banged up up to this point, but on Tuesday the FC Barcelona attacker could perhaps be in the starting eleven for the first time at this World Cup.
Predicted line-up of Holland:
Noppert – van Dijk, Ake, de Ligt – de Jong, Koopmeiners – Blind, Klaassen, Dumfries – Gakpo, Depay – Coach: van Gaal
Last matches played by Holland:
World Cup Group A
25/11/2022 – Netherlands 1 – 1 Ecuador
21/11/2022 – Senegal 0 – 2 Netherlands
UEFA Nations League A Grp. 4
26/09/2022 – Netherlands 1 – 0 Belgium
23/09/2022 – Poland 0 – 2 Netherlands
15/06/2022 – Netherlands 3 – 2 Wales
Qatar – Statistics & current form
The Qatari sheikhs have spared no expense or effort in building a competitive team at the World Cup. We already know that the Asians will be the second host after South Africa 2010 to be eliminated in a World Cup preliminary round. Even with a sensational win against Holland, no more than third place in this Group A is possible. So it’s all about making a proper exit from the tournament.
Weakest World Cup hosts ever
Never before has a World Cup host lost all three group matches. Therefore, the Qataris are threatened with a historically bad World Cup. Moreover, Felix Sanchez’s team has already conceded five goals. Even then, no host has ever been worse in the preliminary round. All in all, this record prompts a prediction of more than 2.5 goals in the match between Holland and Qatar.
After all, the Asian champions showed some improvement in their second group match against Senegal after a poor start and a 2-0 defeat to Ecuador. On the whole, however, the shortcomings of this team could not be overlooked. Even Mohammed Muntari’s goal in the 3-1 defeat did not ensure that the spectators stayed in the stadium until the final whistle.
Coach Felix Sanchez makes it clear that his team will try everything not to leave the World Cup without points. However, we tend to expect a greater rotation in order to give as many players as possible a chance to play in the World Cup. This circumstance certainly does not make the task against the Elftal any easier.
Predicted Qatar line-up:
Barsham – Ahmed, Hassan, Pedro Miguel, Khoukhi, Mohammed – Boudiaf, Madibo, Al-Haydos – Almoez Ali, Afif – Coach: Sanchez
Last matches played by Qatar:
World Cup Group A
25/11/2022 – Qatar 1 – 3 Senegal
20/11/2022 – Qatar 0 – 2 Ecuador
Friendlies
10/11/2022 – Albania 0 – 1 Qatar
06/11/2022 – Qatar 2 – 1 Panama
27/10/2022 – Qatar 1 – 0 Honduras
Holland – Qatar Direct comparison / H2H balance
These are still two footballing worlds that will meet on Tuesday. The Dutch have been runners-up three times and are also among the favourites at the World Cup. Qatar was more of a regional power before winning the bid for this tournament. That is why these two football worlds have not crossed paths so far. On Tuesday, both teams will meet for the first time.
Holland – Qatar Tip
The target for the Dutch on Tuesday is clear. The aim is to win more than Ecuador in the parallel match against Senegal. Only then will the eleven secure the group victory and will most likely not meet the English in the round of 16. That’s why we expect the Dutch to be on fire right from the start in this clash with the World Cup hosts.
However, the Dutch have had their problems on the offensive so far and have only managed four shots on goal in two matches. However, the Qataris have also conceded five goals already, which suggests that things could get a little easier for the Elftal on Tuesday.
There is nothing at stake for the hosts except to avoid embarrassment with a heavy defeat. Not even the boldest optimists believe that Felix Sanchez’s team will come away with a point. We can’t imagine such a scenario either and expect an undisputed victory for the Elftal. That is why we have decided to play the betting odds on HT/FT for the Dutch between Holland and Qatar
