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The 2022 FIFA World Cup opened with a 2-0 victory for Ecuador over hosts Qatar at the Al Bayt Stadium in Doha.
A brace from Enner Valencia was enough to secure all three points for the Tricolors, who were the better side right from kickoff.
Valencia appeared to put them in front in the third minute but it was narrowly ruled out for offside play in the build-up.
The Ecuadorian skipper then won a penalty after being hacked down by Qatar goalkeeper Saad Al Sheeb and coolly slotted home to put his team in front.
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Another 15 minutes later, the CONMEBOL outfit doubled their advantage as Valencia again came back to haunt the Maroons with a fabulous header.
Gustavo Alfaro's side were cruising in the game and continued to create chances but a third goal never arrived.
The second half was cagey in comparison to a fast-paced opening stanza but Qatar had two opportunities to score and wasted both.
Almoez Ali failed to connect with a brilliant cross from Akram Afif after Afif himself had blazed an effort over the bar from close range.
For the first time in FIFA World Cup history, the hosts of the tournament have been defeated in the opening game.
Here are the player ratings:
Qatar Player Ratings
Saad Al Sheeb - 5/10
He made a mistake that allowed Valencia to snatch an early lead but was ruled out for offside, sparing him the blushes.
However, the Qatari custodian then conceded a penalty after bringing the forward down and was also beaten to the Ecuador skipper's headed effort.
Pedro Miguel - 5.5/10
His first touches weren't always the best and he was rash in his tackling, committing a few fouls.
Bassam Al Rawi - 7/10
Al Rawi was vigilant and showed good positioning to frustrate Ecuador on a few occasions.
Boualem Khoukhi - 5.5/10
His aerial strength was there for all to see but he looked wobbly in possession, giving the ball away during the early exchanges.
Abdelkarim Hassan - 6.5/10
He looked to push his side forward with long balls and was key to regaining possession too. Was one of the lone bright spots for the hosts
Homam Ahmed - 5.5/10
The 23-year-old struggled to get into the game much and did not have too much of an impact
Hassan Al-Haydos - 7/10
Al-Haydos was a big threat and created a great chance for Ali with a wonderful cross that he failed to convert.
Karim Boudiaf - 6/10
He struggled to cope with Ecuador's pressure in the opening stanza and fouled Valencia a few times, even getting a yellow card in the 29th minute.
Abdulaziz Hatem - 7/10
Hatem worked the ball around well and showed excellent link-up play too. Put in a good shift
Almoez Ali - 5.5/10
The Maroons hitman wasted a glorious chance to pull a goal back for the hosts in the dying stages of the opening half.
Akram Afif - 6.5/10
Afif wasted a rare chance by firing over the bar and then went into the books minutes later for a poor challenge on Gonzalo Plata.
Substitutes
Mohammed Al Bayati (71' for Al Haydos) - 4/10
He entered the game in the 71st minute and was almost non-existent.
Mohammed Muntari (72' for Ali) - 6/10
He missed a good chance to score by blazing his effort over the bar from a dipping effort in the 86th minute.
Ecuador Player Ratings
Hernan Galindez - 7/10
Possibly the easiest clean sheet Galindez is going to get in this World Cup as the Ecuador shot-stopper wasn't really tested in goal.
Angelo Preciado - 8/10
Preciado assisted Valencia's second goal with a fine cross and constantly tested Qatar's defense with his creativity and energy.
Felix Torres - 6/10
The 25-year-old had a solid game and was largely untroubled by the Qatari attackers.
Piero Hincapie - 6.5/10
The defender made accurate long balls to push Ecuador forward and was generally solid in defense too.
Pervis Estupinan - 7/10
Estupinan made three clearances and completed four tackles to lead by example in defense. He also made dangerous forward runs to trouble the hosts.
Gonzalo Plata - 5.5/10
Off the pace with inaccurate crosses (he failed to complete even one of his six attempts) and sloppy on the ball - Plata was one of the few Ecuador players to not have a good game.
Sebas Mendez - 6.5/10
He won plenty of turnovers in midfield to put pressure on Qatar and was booked for a foul on Akram Afif.
Moises Caicedo - 7.5/10
He was the architect of Ecuador's second goal, initiating the counter-attack which eventually led to his header and was dominant in the middle of the park.
Romario Ibarra - 5/10
A toothless display from the Pachuca attacker, who completed only 10 passes in the match and offered no attacking bite.
Enner Valencia - 9/10
The Ecuador skipper made up for the chalked-off goal with a nonchalant penalty to put them in front before doubling their advantage with a brilliant header.
Michael Estrada - 7/10
Estrada was strong in the air and dominant in his duels. He could've been slightly better in possession and passing.
Substitutes
Jeremy Sarmiento (68' for Ibarra) - 7/10
His ability to regain possession was good and he made a few intelligent runs.
Jose Cifuentes (77' for Valencia) - 5/10
He struggled to get himself involved in the proceedings.
Alan Franco (90' for Caicedo) - N/A
Not enough time to make an impact.
Kevin Rodriguez (90' for Estrada) - N/A
Not enough time to make an impact
