Enner Valencia scores twice as Ecuador stun hosts Qatar in 2022 World Cup opener

Enner Valencia scored twice in the first-half to give Ecuador a 2-0 win at the break against Qatar in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khol.

FIFA World Cup 2022, Highlights: Enner Valencia Brace Gives Ecuador 2-0 Win vs Qatar In Opener | Football News

Valencia broke the deadlock in the 16th minute after converting a penalty which he had won. The 33-year-old then made it 2-0 at the half-hour-mark, heading home Angelo Preciado’s cross.

Valencia, who had a goal disallowed inside the first three minutes, is the oldest player to score a goal in the opening game of a World Cup. Ecuador are at the 44th spot in the FIFA rankings while hosts Qatar are at the 50th spot.

Qatar XI: Saad, Pedro, Bassam, Khoukhi, Abdelkarim, Homam, Al-Haydos, Karim, Aziz, Afif, Almoez.

Ecuador XI: Galindez, Preciado, Torres, Hincapie, Estupinan, Plata, Mendez, Caicedo, Ibarra, Valencia, Estrada.