Qatar vs Ecuador LIVE: World Cup 2022 result, final score and reaction as Enner Valencia double downs hosts

Qatar 0-2 Ecuador: Valencia netted twice in the first half as the South Americans outclassed their hosts in the tournament opener

‘Today I feel gay, I feel disabled': Fifa president Gianni Infantino at World Cup

Enner Valencia’s two first-half goals led Ecuador to a dominant 2-0 victory over Qatar as the home nation froze on their big night with an error-strewn display that left them as the first World Cup hosts to lose their opening game.

Valencia, who had already had a third-minute header ruled out by VAR for offside, slotted in the tournament’s opening goal from the penalty spot in the 16th minute after being brought down by nervous-looking goalkeeper Saad Alsheeb.

He powered home a 31st-minute header for the second and the South Americans then cruised home as an outclassed Qatar struggled to mount any meaningful attacks and had only a fluffed header by Almoez Ali to show for their limited efforts.

The other teams in Group A, Senegal and the Netherlands, meet in one of three games on Monday.

Relive the action with our live blog below.

Qatar vs Ecuador latest updates

• Ecuador beat Qatar 2-0 in the opening game of the World Cup 2022
• Enner Valencia scored twice in the first half as the South Americans outclassed their hosts
• Thousands of fans left the match at half-time and organisational difficulties marred the build-up to the World Cup opener
• 31’ - GOAL! Valencia heads home his second of the game (QAT 0-2 ECU)
• 16’ - GOAL! Valencia wins and converts a penalty for Ecuador (QAT 0-1 ECU)
• 3’ - NO GOAL! Valencia’s finish controversially ruled out by VAR (QAT 0-0 ECU)

[20 November 2022 10:38 · Michael Jones]

World Cup opening ceremony

Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of the 2022 Fifa World Cup. This is it.

Perhaps the most controversial of any World Cups gets underway this afternoon following years of controversy and coverage over Qatar’s human rights issues and how the country treats its migrant workforce, not to mention the laws restricting the rights of the LGBTQ+ community.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino fanned the flames of anger towards the host nation with an appallingly offensive speech yesterday which alienated most of the minority groups harmed by Qatar’s morality and as well as taking shots at the western media for their coverage of Qatar’s problems.

Yet the tournament goes on and there is football to play. An opening ceremony is scheduled for 2pm this afternoon before the action kicks off with Qatar vs Ecuador at 4pm. We’ll bring you all the news and updates throughout the day before live coverage of the opening ceremony and the first fixture of the 2022 World Cup.

So stick with us...