Tuesday sees Netherlands vs. Qatar in the third and final Group A matchup of the World Cup group stages. Playing at the Al Bayt Stadium the Dutch need to match, or better, Ecuador’s result against Senegal to qualify as group winners.
In theory, it’s an easy game against Qatar, who are already eliminated and labeled by World Cup odds as heavy underdogs, but with no pressure on the tournament's hosts, can they pull off a shock? Don’t miss our Netherlands vs. Qatar World Cup picks and predictions.
Netherlands vs Qatar odds
Netherlands vs Qatar picks and predictions
We’re now at the business end of the group stages, which sort the men from the boys and secure positions in the knockout stages. Also at this timeslot, the games in each group are played at the same time. So while we’ll be watching Netherlands vs. Qatar, the other Group A game — Ecuador vs. Senegal — will be taking place.
The Netherlands will need to match or better Ecuador’s result in the other match to qualify as the group winner. The expectation is that they’ll do this against Qatar, but it’s far from a lock.
The Dutch were impressive in the opening game, but a 1-1 draw against Ecuador has cast doubt over the team’s abilities. Now they’ll face a Qatar team who have lost both matches, scoring just once and giving up four goals. They have nothing to play for but pride.
We’ll be backing one of the Dutch’s stars — indeed one of the World Cup’s breakout stars — Cody Gakpo to score. The PSV player came into this touted as the next big thing, and he’s shown why he has had those plaudits.
He’s scored two goals thus far and has been his country’s best player. In both games, he’s started as a striker alongside Steven Bergwijn. Given that the team were poor in the last game, we might see a change from the manager Louis Van Gaal. But it would be Bergwijn, if anybody, making way for Memphis Depay.
Having scored twice already in Qatar, and scoring nine Eredivisie goals for PSV this season in just 14 games, there’s no way that we don’t see Gakpo continue to start in an advanced position for the Netherlands. This is a game that’ll suit him. They’ll dominate possession and he’ll have plenty of opportunities to showcase his movement and creativity against a poor Qatari backline.
He was +300 to score anytime against Ecuador and is now +150 to score in this game. That price is getting shorter as the sportsbooks realize how integral he is to the team. He’s going to burden the responsibility for his country in this game — against one of the poorest teams in recent World Cups — so even at +150, he’s a good bet to score.
My best bet: Cody Gakpo to score (+150 at bet365)
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Netherlands vs Qatar side analysis
There can be little to no doubt that the Netherlands win this game. While they haven’t been sensational at this World Cup, they’ve been largely good while Qatar have struggled against weaker teams.
With Qatar now no longer able to qualify for the next round, they’ll be carefree and have no pressure on them. However, that won’t be enough to get them over the line here. Even with no pressure they just simply don’t have the quality to not only score against the Dutch, but to also keep them out too. Nothing is impossible in this sport but it can be very, very unlikely.
Van Gaal has gone with a 3-4-1-2 for the Netherlands so far in this tournament but we might see him change that given the draw in the last game. I’d imagine he sticks with the same formation but might move around his attacking players and reintroduce Memphis Depay to the starting lineup.
Qatar played a 5-3-2 in their last game against Senegal and they’ll most likely employ the same system again and look to frustrate the Netherlands and steal a win.
Netherlands vs Qatar Over/Under analysis
We’re more than likely to see Over 2.5 goals according the sportsbooks. Neither of the Netherlands' two games so far have hit that mark, but against a poor Qatar team, they should have a good chance. Senegal put three past them and the Dutch will be hoping that they can do that, if not better.
At -200, Over 2.5 goals it isn’t something I’d bet personally, but it’s most likely the way that this game goes.
Netherlands vs Qatar game info
| Location: | Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Qatar |
| Date: | Tuesday, November 29, 2022 |
| Time: | 10:00 a.m. ET |
| TV: | FOX, TSN |
Netherlands vs Qatar key injuries
Netherlands: No injuries to report.
Qatar: No injuries to report.
