Ecuador’s Enner Valencia Scores First Goal of 2022 World Cup on Penalty Kick

Valencia got the first goal of the World Cup in Qatar

By Max Molski • Published November 20, 2022 • Updated on November 20, 2022 at 12:35 pm

This article may have Spanish-language video from our Telemundo sister station. Get the latest World Cup news in Spanish from Telemundo.

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It didn’t take long for Enner Valencia and Ecuador to rain on Qatar’s parade at the 2022 World Cup.

Valencia scored the first goal of the tournament in the 16th minute off a penalty kick. He was taken out in the box by Qatari goalkeeper Saad Al-Sheeb on a potential scoring opportunity and then tapped in an easy goal to give Ecuador a 1-0 lead.

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Valencia appeared to have scored the first goal of the tournament in the opening minutes. It would have been the quickest goal in the opening match of any World Cup, but a VAR review of the play took the goal off the board.

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With his 36th career goal with the national team, Valencia extended his lead as Ecuador’s top goalscorer of all time.

The match is available to stream online in English through FoxSports.com. Viewers can watch the match in Spanish on Peacock.