Enner Valencia shone even brighter than the opening ceremony light show as Ecuador defeated hosts Qatar in the first game of the 2022 World Cup.
The former West Ham striker scored twice in the first half to put La Tricolor in charge against the tournament hosts after seeing a goal disallowed for offside just seconds into the match. Valencia rolled in a penalty with aplomb in the 16th minute after he was brought down in the area before powerfully heading home shortly after the half-hour mark.
Ecuador took their foot off the pedal in the second half against an opposition that struggled to create chances throughout the match. The result gives the South American nation a welcome boost in their bid to qualify from a challenging group also containing Netherlands and Senegal, while Qatar will need to produce something very special in their next two games to have any chance of progressing in their home World Cup.
