Ecuador vs. Senegal Betting Tips: Back offsides and shots on target in Group A decider
Group A was home to the first team eliminated from the competition in Qatar, and it will also be the first group to complete all three rounds of fixtures at this tournament.
Ecuador and Senegal's tie is as decisive as they come. Aspirations of knockout qualification and topping the group make this a must-win for both teams involved.
Our coverage of the World Cup isn't letting up, which is why we're here to bring you another match preview and pair of best bets for one of Tuesday's 3pm kick-offs.
Sitting level on points and the same goal difference as Netherlands will have Ecuador firmly setting their sights on top spot in Group A. The pair played out a 1-1 draw on Friday, with La Tri looking the more creative of the two teams.
Senegal's win over Qatar puts them in contention for qualification from this year's group stages, but conceding late on will have put a slight downer on an otherwise encouraging performance and result.
Considering that Netherlands face the already exited host nation on Match Day 3, we could be in for a tactical chess match or an "everything but the kitchen sink" affair here.
Ecuador vs Senegal Tips
Judging by each of their two performances so far, there isn't an awful lot to separate them. Qatar asked very little questions of either one, and the four points Netherlands took from the two could be deemed fortunate by many people's standards.
It's anybody's guess whether Ecuador's enterprising attacks or Senegal's endeavour will come out on top. That being said it will help mould the first of our two selections in this betting preview.
The base for much of Ecuador's attacking play is getting the ball in behind the opposition's defence. Midfielders Moises Caicedo and Sebas Mendez constantly seek to test the speed of Enner Valencia, Michael Estrada and Pervis Estupinan in one-vs-one situations, which naturally results in offsides for Gustavo Alfaro's men.
At this World Cup so far the Ecuadorians have been flagged offside a total number of eight times, clearing this line of over 2.5 on both occasions, with four vs Qatar and four vs Netherlands - making it successful in three of their last four matches.
Senegal won't want to forfeit too much of the ball, so they'll have to find a balance between playing further up the field and leaving themselves exposed to through balls. The Lions of Teranga managed to catch Qatar offside four times in their last game, which should be another good indication of what to expect numbers wise in this department from Ecuador.
For those who like a larger priced play, Enner Valencia and Idrissa Gueye get the nod in our shots on target double.
Valencia is level with superstar Kylian Mbappe as the competition's joint top scorer with three goals apiece. He's looked a live wire in this vibrant Ecuador team, hitting two shots on target in both of his outings in Qatar.
Seeing Idrissa Gueye's inclusion in this bet may raise a few eyebrows initially, but bear with us. Despite not registering a single shot for Everton this term, Gana plays a different role for his country than for club.
In Senegal's first appearance against Netherlands he was deployed as an attacking midfielder. Here he let off two shots, with one testing goalkeeper Andries Noppert.
He also came awfully close to hitting the target once again vs Qatar from a more traditional central midfield role. And although he blanked in that one, we reckon the stakes of Tuesday's clash should see him advance and look to give Hernan Galindez something to think about.
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