Valencia earns Ecuador deserved draw against Netherlands

Enner Valencia ensured Ecuador got the very least they deserved as they battled back from a goal down to draw 1-1 with the Netherlands in their World Cup Group A match.

Theoranjeledearlythanksto a strike from Cody Gakpo, but did precious else all game.

Ecuador, in contrast, had a goal from Brighton wing-back

Pervis Estupinan disallowed on the stroke of half-time and also hit the bar close to the hour mark through Gonzalo Plata in abarnstormingdisplayagainst a disjointed Dutch side.

Valencia’sequalisercameearly in the second half, though his exit on a stretcher late on will be a major concern to Ecuador coach Gustavo Alfaro.

The result ensured host Qatar’s elimination from the tournament with a game to spare.

Group A will conclude with a three-way tussle for the last-16 places next Tuesday.

The Netherlands could not have wished for a better start. Ecuador gave the ball away to Davyklaassen,wholefttheball to Gakpo running in the opposite direction and the 23-yearold star unleashed a bullet of a left-foot shot from the edge of the area which gave Hernan Galindez in the Ecuador goal no chance.

The Netherlands offered little in attack after the goal and Ecuador had a goal disallowed in the final seconds of the half. A powerful low strike by rightback Angelo Preciado was diverted into the net by Estupinan, but was ruled out because defender Jackson Porozo was offside and deemed to be blocking Andries Noppert’s view.

Ecuador got the goal their first-half efforts deserved in the 49th minute. The Dutch, as they showed against Senegal, are prepared to live dangerously close to their own goal andjurrientimberwascaught in possession. Plata spread the balltoestupinanracingintothe leftsideofthebox,noppertparried his shot, but Valencia was theretogobbleuptherebound.

They were inches away from going ahead just before the hour mark when Preciado made space for a cross, Valencia’s effort was blocked and the ball broke to Plata, whose shot smacked off the crossbar.

As time ticked down Valencia was stretchered off, a worrying development for Ecuador with the crucial game against Senegal to come.