On 26 November, the second round of the World Cup will be matched, with the Netherlands facing Ecuador in Group A, where the two teams will face each other at Khalifa International Stadium. Previously, both teams won the first game of the group stage, each grabbed three points, and the battle for the top spot in the group became the focus of this match. From the content of the first match between the two teams, the Netherlands can withstand Senegal's attack and take advantage of the weaknesses on the wing to win, Ecuador has similarities to Senegal in style of play, and the Netherlands may continue to use this tactic to win.
The Netherlands vs Ecuador, in terms of ranking, the Netherlands is ranked 8th in the world, while Ecuador is only 44th in the world, and the South American powerhouse is left 36th by its opponents. In terms of value, the Dutch team is worth as much as 587 million euros, while Ecuador only has 147 million euros, and the European powerhouse has the advantage. History shows that the two sides have previously had two friendly matches, with the Netherlands playing 1-0 and 1-1 to keep the European powerhouse unbeaten and once again in terms of record. Now the showdown is again in the facet and Louis van Gaal is eager to lead the team again and continue his previous success.
Dutch side
The Netherlands met Senegal in the opening game, and the tactics of Dutch coach Louis van Gaal in this game made fans feel a little conservative. Van Gaal may have wanted to put the Netherlands on the defensive footing, then slowly consume Senegal, and wait until the end of the game to launch a general attack and give the opponent a fatal blow. Judging from the final results, Van Gaal's tactics were no problem, and the Netherlands relied on Senegal's physical decline and began to win the game after 80 minutes. In the game, Gakpo's header was very impressive, and the Orange-clad players also played well by midfielder De Jong and goalkeeper Nopert. In the past, the impression of the Netherlands fans was that they were full of attack and defense, and they played very passionately.
Now in the first game of the World Cup, it is more pragmatic, most of the time is boiled frogs in warm water, and the game lacks passion. Van Gaal, the famous manager, has a somewhat conservative tactical arrangement, so that fans do not see the essence of Dutch football's all-attack, all-defense tactics at its peak. But Van Gaal was right in his choice, and compared to the previous team of talented superstars in the frontline, the Netherlands now have too few players with starry taste and characteristics in the front. Now, De Jong and Gakpo in the Dutch frontcourt have impressed fans, and the rest of the players are mediocre in their abilities and performances. This forces Louis van Gaal to be more cautious than ever, or pragmatic is the best option for the Netherlands to move forward.
Ecuadorian side
Ecuador beat Qatar 2-0 in the World Cup opener thanks to Enna Valencia's goal, and the tradition of unbeaten World Cup hosts in the opener was ruthlessly broken by Ecuador. Enna Valencia, who scored two goals in the match, was undoubtedly Ecuador's biggest contributor to the win, but his injury late in the game confirmed afterwards would not have led to his inability to play, but it would certainly affect his presence. According to statistics, Ecuador has suffered only one defeat in 11 games so far in 2022, during which it has faced Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Japan to win draws, which shows that its strength is extraordinary.
However, the last game was also their first single game this year, scoring at least two goals. At the same time, their record against European countries shows that it will be a tough challenge to play the Netherlands on active duty. Ecuador have failed to win in their last four World Cup matches against European teams, scoring just one goal in those four matches. Conversely, the Netherlands are unbeaten in their last eight World Cup matches against South American teams. It can be seen that facing the strongest team in the group now is undoubtedly an unprecedented test for Ecuador. #足球 #