World Cup Group A Analysis: Hosts Face Africa’s Hope Sadio Mane’s Senegal As Virgil Van Dijk Leads Oranjes

• The usual World Cup euphoria has somewhat been whittled down by news of injuries to some top stars, led by Sadio Mane
• Mane's potential absence could sway the narrative for Senegal and Group A in general, as the Netherlands are expected to qualify as winners
• But hosts Qatar and CONMEBOL representatives Ecuador could spring a few surprises in a tournament that has been kind to underdogs before

You won't be far from the truth to describe Qatar 2022 as a tournament that will favour the team that can field a decent side that is least injured.

Top stars have withdrawn from the tournament in the buildup to the first event to be held in the Middle East. Amongst all the heartbreaking stories of all the stars who will have to watch the World Cup from home was Senegal's and Africa's worst fear: Sadio Mane's injury.

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The good thing is Mane is not entirely ruled out. But there's no telling that a 100% fit Mane would have been more influential for Aliou Cisse's side.

Sports Brief takes a look at all the 8 groups, their star attractions, weakness and strongholds as Qatar gets ready to rumble. You can read Group B's here and Group C's here.

Senegal

• Star Player: Sadio Mane
• Rising star: Nicolas Jackson
• Coach: Aliou Cisse
• Sports Brief's Predicted Finish: Quarter-finals
• FIFA Ranking: 18

The reigning Africa Champions will walk into Qatar as the best-placed African team to progress from their group. The first match against the Netherlands was supposed to be a reunion between Virgil Van Dijk and Mane.

But with Mane's potential unavailability, Cisse might have to rely on Ismailia Sarr and Bamba Dieng for creativity up front.

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Given that Cisse has named an almost similar side that won the AFCON expect fluidity and rhythm within the team. The heavy Premier League presence in the middle of the pack in Idrissa Gana Gueye, Namplays Mendy and Cheikhou Kouyate has always been reliable for Cisse.

Saliou Cisse caught the world's attention during Senegal's AFCON winning run but was dropped from the final squad. He has been without a club since leaving Nancy in the summer. In his place, Real Betis' Youssouf Sabaly is expected to slot in. Sabaly had a decent run in the 2019 AFCON but was injured earlier this year.

But, apart from Mane's situation, Senegal have a Kalidou Koulibaly problem. Touted as one of the best defenders in the world, Koulibaly has struggled to adapt to Premier League life at Chelsea and, more specifically, in a back-three system.

Cisse plays Koulibaly's favoured 4-3-3 formation and the captain is expected to spring back to life. The same goes for Edouard Mendy, who has been displaced by Kepa Arrizabalaga as Chelsea's first choice.

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Watch out for Koulibaly's diagonal passes that can be so integral in breaking a team's defence. New entrants like Villarreal's Nicolas Jackson will also be out to impress.

Possible XI: Mendy; Diallo, Ballo Toure, Koulibaly, Sabaly; Gana Gueye, N.Mendy, Kouyate; Mane, Dia, Sarr

Netherlands

• Star Player: Virgil Van Dijk
• Rising star: Xavi Simmons
• Coach: Louis Van Gaal
• Sports Brief's Predicted Finish: Quarter-finals
• FIFA Ranking: 8

The current era of the Dutch squad doesn't have proper world-class strikers like yesteryears. But what they lack up front, they substitute well with a stout defence.

Louis Van Gaal's decision to revert to a 3-5-2 formation might not be Virgil Van Dijk's favourite, but it makes them difficult to break. VVD has had a torrid start to the Premier League season with Liverpool but is expected to shrug off the complacency with two of Nathan Ake, Matthijs De Ligt, Stefan De Vrij or Jurrien Timber playing beside him.

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The essence of the three-man defence is to allow your fullbacks to go upfront and Van Gaal is set to unleash Denzel Dumfries and possibly Manchester United's sensation Tyrell Malacia.

Having failed to qualify for the 2018 edition, the Netherlands will also look to rectify the wrongs of 1974, 1978 and 2010 when they were losing finalists.

Memphis Depay is expected to lead the line despite sitting out of any competitive action since September with a thigh injury. His Barcelona teammate Frenkie de Jong arguably remains Van Gaal's most important player, with his box-to-box dynamism and never-ending runs crucial in his system.

PSV duo Cody Gakpo and Xavi Simmons are some of the tournament's early contenders for the breakout stars.

Jasper Cillissen was widely considered the first-choice goalkeeper but was surprisingly omitted from the final squad. 38-year-old Remko Pasveer is among those in line to play in goal.

The Dutch players will also be extra motivated to play for Van Gaal after he went public with his prostate cancer diagnosis. It would be wonderful if they could lift the trophy on December 18th.

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Possible XI: Pasveer; Van Dijk, De Vrij, De Ligt; Timber, De Jong, Koopmeiners, Dumfries; Gakpo, Bergwijn, Depay.

Qatar

• Star Player: Almoez Ali
• Rising star: Akram Afif
• Coach: Felix Sanchez
• Sports Brief's Predicted Finish: Group Stage
• FIFA Ranking: 50

Not your typical footballing nation, the hosts will start off the tournament as the best-prepared side. The Qatari League took a break in September and since then, the squad has been in training camps in Vienna and Marbella under the watchful eye of Felix Sanchez.

Buoyed by recent successes in the Gold Cup and impressive showing in Copa America and Asia Cup, Sanchez will be looking to repeat the heroics of the South Korean team of 2022, who, despite not being frontrunners, reached the semifinals on home soil.

Al Annabi's major strength relies on their technically gifted players in Al Duhail's Almoez Ali and Al Sadd's Akram Afif. Bassam al-Rawi plays at the centre of Sanchez's three-man defence. He can also be a real asset going forward from setpieces.

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The 12th man has always been a key factor in tournament football, but how much the Qataris love their football remains to be seen. Qatar will be looking not to become the second host nation after South Africa to get eliminated in the group stage.

Possible XI: Sheeb; Khoukhi, al-Rawi, Hassan; Ro-Ro, Hatem, Haydos, Boudiaf; Almoez, Afif

Ecuador

• Star Player: Enner Valencia
• Rising star: Moises Caicedo
• Coach: Gustavo Alfaro
• Sports Brief's Predicted Finish: Group Stage
• FIFA Ranking: 44

Head Coach Gustavo Alfaro has built a new-look side in less than two years after doing away with the old guard of Antonio Valencia and Christian Noboa.

Brighton's Moises Caicedo is the face of this new-look team alongside long-term favourite Enner Valencia and promising Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie. Caicedo's impressive work rate is expected to come in handy in Alfaro's preferred 4-4-2 formation that changes to a 4-3-3 while in attack.

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La Tricolor's major threat from the onset will be from setpieces. Pervis Estupinan might also offer something different from the full-back position.

Their opening game against Qatar will be crucial because it doesn't get any easier after that. A repeat of the 2006 round of 16 finish will be in their minds, but they will have to cause a major upset.

Possible XI: Dominguez; Torres, Hincapie, Estupinan, Castillo; Caicedo, Gruezo, Ibarra, Plata; Estrada, Valencia

You can read Group B's here and Group C's here.