The tournament was scheduled to begin on November 21 but Qatar's game was moved up for them to play the curtain raiser.
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The Qatar 2022 World Cup kicks off on November 20 at the Al Bayt Stadium, with the hosts facing Ecuador in Group A. The tournament was scheduled to begin the following day with Senegal’s match against the Netherlands at Al Thumama Stadium, but Qatar’s game was moved up to allow them to play the curtain raiser of the tournament.
Read More: FIFA World Cup 2022: Group F SWOT Analysis
Brazil, Cameroon, Serbia, and Switzerland are all slotted in Group G . Brazil is expected to win their sixth World Cup title. Switzerland is ranked 15th in the FIFA rankings and could finish second in the Group. Serbia and Cameroon could be the group’s giant killers if they put together a string of impressive performances during the group stage. Here’s a breakdown of each team’s strengths, weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.
| Countries | Continents |
|---|---|
| Brazil | South America |
| Serbia | Europe |
| Switzerland | Europe |
| Cameroon | Africa |
Strengths – Brazil’s biggest strength, with a lot of variety and excellent squad depth, is their all-around ability and ability to perform under pressure. Brazil are a serious powerhouse with the likes of Neymar, Vinicius Jr, Alisson, and Thiago Silva in their arsenal and will be licking their lips in Qatar. Their strength stems from their natural ability and ability to maintain equilibrium.
Weaknesses – Brazil are a highly pressing team and in sensational form, and they will be expected to go all the way in the tournament. But is it really that simple? With World Cups comes pressure, and is the team prepared to push through and deliver even when they are having a bad day at work? Brazil lost the Copa America final to Argentina, who countered their attack, and World Cup teams will be prepared not to hold back, potentially giving Brazil a run for their money.
Opportunities – Brazil has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become the first team in World Cup history to win it a record sixth time. Brazil has all the services to do the same thing, but with expectations comes pressure, and will they handle it? The World Cup will tell.
Threats – Brazil have had a string of poor World Cup performances, failing to finish in the top three in four consecutive tournaments, their longest such streak. The Brazilians will have high expectations of their team; as the saying goes, high expectations can lead to disappointments.
Strengths – Serbia may not appear to be a major football powerhouse, and it is only ranked 21 in the FIFA World Rankings, but the team’s form heading into the tournament is promising, with many attacking threats. The goal threat up front is an offensive dominant force, with players like Mitrovic and recent sensation Vlahovic, and Dusan Tadic behind them is the icing on the cake. Wingbacks can also come forward and track back as needed, and the team will be hoping to pull off some surprises in Qatar.
Weaknesses – Balance is the most important aspect in which Serbia would like to improve as they are stacked with offensive options and a timid back line where they currently fall short. Serbia’s defensive system lacks solidity, and the playing style necessitates a solid back line, which could eventually pose a threat to Serbia. Balance is the most important aspect of which Serbia would like to get better and where their weakness is at the moment. The defensive system of Serbia lacks solidity, and the playing style needs a solid back line, which eventually could pose Serbia a threat.
Opportunities – Serbia’s best World Cup performance came in 1962 (the most recent), when they finished fourth. With the current players and form and the current form in Nations League A, Serbia could be on the verge of a few upsets.
Threats – The ability to strike is a huge advantage, but since the time Serbia switched to a back three, the team’s balance has improved significantly, unlocking their attacking potential while also providing better cover in an abrupt defense.
Strengths – The play style and chemistry of the team is arguably their greatest strength. When the Swiss play as a unit, they appear dangerous and can pose a threat to any team on any given day. The team appears to be technically sound and well-balanced, and the Swiss play with purpose, giving them an advantage over opponents. They could well and truly punch above their weight in Qatar this season.
Weaknesses – The Swiss are a very good team when the chemistry of the team clicks on the day, but their weakness is the quality of individual stars. They don’t have an obvious goal scorer who can score every time they step onto the field and their form heading into Qatar.
Opportunities – Switzerland are a solid team on their day, and their best run in a World Cup campaign was three quarter-final appearances in 1934, 1938, and 1954. Switzerland have a chance to make the semi-finals for the first time in their history in this edition of the World Cup in Qatar.
Threats – Under their new manager, Switzerland have blown off in terms of possession-based and exciting football, and the same could end up backfiring if they hang back and concede a few goals under pressure early on in the game.
Strengths – Cameroon’s main strength is the threat they pose each and every season, having scored 14 goals at the AFCON and also took down Algeria at the Stade Mustapha Tchaker in a 2-1 victory. The Cameroon team could cause problems for Serbia and Switzerland if their attacking threat comes to the party, which it very well could.
Weaknesses – Cameroon has always posed a threat to the opposition, but the final touch has always been the missing piece in the puzzle, crumbling under pressure, but this time could be different with quick attacking and gameplay.
Opportunities – Cameroon are an exciting team on paper and provides promise. As they were the first African team to reach the quarter-finals in 1990. They have the potential to be dubbed “giant killers” as they become the first African team to compete in their eighth World Cup.
Threats – Cameroon’s threats arise when the promised players fail to deliver them to the promised land, and if players such as Vincent Aboubakar, Moumi Ngamaleu, and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa do not step up, it could pose a major threat.
