The friendly between Ecuador and Netherlands ended up leaving emotions until the last minute, with both teams fighting for each ball and the score tied in 1-1 after a series of moments of high tension and key changes in the development of the game.
The match started adversely for Ecuador, which suffered a own goal after two minutesgiving the initial advantage to the Dutch team. Despite the early blow, the reaction of the ‘Tri’ It didn’t take long to arrive. At seven minutes, Enner Valencia generated a great play that culminated with a shot by Yeboah on the postin what could have been the tie.
Throughout the first half, Ecuador tried to regain control of the ball. The South American team had to overcome the pressure from the Netherlands, which took advantage of the spaces and looked for the second goal. In the 11th minute, the story of the match changed when Denzel Dumfries was sent off after knocking down Gonzalo Plata, leaving the Dutch with one less man.
Since the expulsion, Ecuador increased the pressure and, after a combination between Moisés Caicedo and Gonzalo Plata, The referee awarded a penalty in favor of the ‘Tri’. Enner Valencia did not fail from twelve steps and, in the 23rd minute, declared the tie. The goal lifted the Ecuadorian fans, who made their presence felt with chants that overshadowed the local fans.
With the match tied, the Netherlands showed no reaction and only managed to hold the ball away from the rival area. Ecuador was close to extending the lead before the break, when Yeboah went one-on-one with Flekken, but the Dutch goalkeeper avoided the goal with a great response.
The second half brought more emotions and worries for Ecuador. Gonzalo Valle, starting goalkeeper, suffered a knee injury and had to leave the field in tears, creating uncertainty for the World Cup and the Quito League. His replacement, David Cabezas, debuted at the age of 30 and was immediately demanded by the Dutch attack.
Although Ecuador had numerical superiority, it was difficult for them to generate chances clear and found a closed defense. Coach Beccacece tried to refresh the attack with the additions of Jordy Caicedo and Jeremy Arévalo in the final minutes, but the tie remained.
About the end, The referee added five minutes, but no team could break parity. Ecuador showed courage to overcome an adverse start, although it was unable to take advantage of the numerical advantage to win. The tie leaves lessons for both teams in preparation for their next international challenges.
