Qatar vs El Salvador - prediction, team news, lineups

Qatar circular disconnected their 2026 World Cup preparations with a affable against El Salvador astatine the neutral BMO Stadium successful Los Angeles connected Saturday.

This volition beryllium lone the 3rd gathering betwixt the 2 nations, with the Maroon One having prevailed connected some erstwhile occasions, including a constrictive 1-0 triumph successful a non-competitive fixture connected July 4, 2021 and a 3-2 triumph successful the Gold Cup quarter-finals 3 weeks later.

Match preview

Qatar earned their maiden World Cup quality arsenic hosts of the 2022 tourney but person since shown they are susceptible of reaching the planetary signifier done the accepted qualification pathway.

The Maroon One secured their spot astatine this year’s finals successful the 4th circular of the AFC preliminaries, playing retired a goalless gully with Oman earlier edging the United Arab Emirates 2-1 to apical Group A’s three-team section.

However, that landmark accomplishment was followed by a disappointing spell of form, with the broadside finishing bottommost of their radical astatine the 2025 FIFA Arab Cup past December contempt location advantage, and they are present without a triumph successful 5 matches, losing 4 successful that stretch.

Qatar get for this brushwood disconnected the backmost of a 1-0 decision to Ireland  last Thursday, with Nathan Collins netting wrong 5 minutes to settee the contest, extending a tally successful which the Maroon One person conceded first-half goals successful 3 of their past 5 outings.

While Lopetegui volition beryllium anxious to resoluteness his side’s sluggish starts, determination is besides interest successful the last third, with the squad failing to people successful 4 of their past 7 matches and registering much than 1 extremity successful a crippled lone erstwhile during that period.

Those numbers connection small encouragement heading into the World Cup, wherever Qatar find themselves arsenic the lowest-placed broadside successful Group B speech from Bosnia and Herzegovina, sitting 55th successful the FIFA World Rankings successful a bracket that besides includes Switzerland and co-hosts Canada.

Ranked 100th successful the world, El Salvador fell abbreviated successful their bid to scope the 2026 World Cup – extending their agelong lack from the tourney since their past quality successful 1982 – aft being eliminated successful the 3rd circular of CONCACAF qualifying.

La Selecta finished bottommost of Group A successful that stage, with a triumph implicit Guatemala proving to beryllium their lone triumph from six matches, though Hernan Gomez’s broadside did apical their bracket successful the March 2026 CONCACAF Series aft defeating Martinique.

That effect was followed by a 1-0 decision to South Korea successful past Thursday’s affable astatine the neutral America First Field, leaving El Salvador with conscionable 1 triumph successful their past 8 matches (D1, L6) and reflecting their frailties successful the last third.

La Selecta person failed to people successful 8 of their past 12 games, and notably, each of their astir caller 5 defeats has travel without uncovering the net, suggesting their chances connected Saturday whitethorn beryllium heavy connected a important betterment successful attacking output.

Qatar International Friendlies form:

Qatar signifier (all competitions):

El Salvador International Friendlies form:

El Salvador signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Qatar striker Almoez Ali was sent disconnected successful the 78th infinitesimal of past Thursday’s decision to Ireland contempt lone being introduced aft the break, successful a lucifer that saw some sides reduced to 10 men.

However, the guardant should beryllium disposable for enactment here, arsenic reddish cards received successful affable matches bash not typically transportation over, and Ali volition person the accidental to adhd to his all-time grounds goals tally for the Maroon One.

Karim Boudiaf, Mohammad Al Mannai, Assim Omer Madibo and Lucas Mendes are besides pushing for starting roles aft making substitute appearances successful the decision to Ireland, while Akram Afif could clasp his spot connected the flank.

El Salvador emerged from their affable against South Korea without immoderate caller wounded concerns, though caput manager Gomez could marque respective changes to his lineup, with Mayer Gil and Kevin Reyes among those hoping to gain recalls aft featuring from the bench.

Danis Cerros made his elder debut arsenic a second-half substitute successful that encounter, portion Diego Ortez, Alejandro Cano and third-choice goalkeeper Geonathan Barrera could each beryllium successful enactment for their archetypal appearances.

Nathan Ordaz and Styven Vasquez led the enactment against South Korea, but Cristian Gil is different enactment successful onslaught and could beryllium handed a starting berth connected Saturday, portion skipper Mario Gonzalez is expected to support his spot betwixt the sticks.

Qatar imaginable starting lineup:

Abunada; Al-Hussain, Miguel, Khoukhi, Al-Amin; Abdulsallam, Fathi, Laye; Junior, Ali, Afif

El Salvador imaginable starting lineup:

Gonzalez; Clavel, Sibrian, Cruz, A Henriquez; J Henriquez, Martinez, Reyes, Ceritos; C Gil, Ordaz

We say: Qatar 1-0 El Salvador

Qatar volition beryllium anxious to caput into the World Cup connected a affirmative enactment and volition instrumentality assurance from having won some erstwhile meetings betwixt the 2 nations, portion they besides clasp a important vantage successful the FIFA World Rankings.

However, goals whitethorn beryllium astatine a premium successful a contention featuring 2 sides that person struggled for attacking fluency successful caller months, and a azygous onslaught could beryllium capable to unafraid triumph for Lopetegui's men.
 

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