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IMAGE: Ecuador’s Enner Valencia battles for possession with Netherlands’ Jurrien Timber in the course of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group A match {Photograph}: Phil Noble/Reuters
Ecuador’s “Superman” captain Enner Valencia led a feisty fightback on Friday because the South People drew 1-1 with the Netherlands in Group A to maintain each groups within the operating for the final 16 whereas ending hosts Qatar’s probabilities of qualifying.
Valencia, 33, tapped in his third objective of the event from a rebound within the second half after Cody Gakpo had put the Dutch forward within the sixth minute with a scorching shot in a consequence that superior each side to 4 factors.
Qatar misplaced their second successive recreation at their debut World Cup earlier on Friday to Senegal and are eradicated. The African champions are third within the group with Ecuador to come back in Tuesday’s ultimate group video games.
Ecuador had a subdued first half as Louis van Gaal’s aspect appeared comfy however unhurried. However the South People, roared on by a big yellow-clad contingent on the Khalifa Worldwide Stadium, stepped up a gear within the second half and will have received it when Gonzalo Plata’s strike hit the crossbar.
IMAGE: Ecuador’s Moises Caicedo leaps as Andries Noppert of the Netherlands makes a save. {Photograph}: Justin Setterfield/Getty Pictures
Plata thrashed a strong shot onto the woodwork within the 59th minute because the South People went from power to power, constantly hustling the Dutch off the ball by making use of a physically-demanding press that didn’t permit their opponents to play their standard flowing recreation.
“That they had a number of biters, guys who’re scorching in your heels. Then it’s important to act rapidly, and (we) may have handled that higher. We should always have executed higher in possession of the ball,” stated Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk.
It had began out most promising for the Dutch, on the lookout for their second win of the event that might have ensured they had been the primary staff to qualify for the knockout phases when Gakpo scored.
IMAGE: Netherlands’ Denzel Dumfries battles for possession with Piero Hincapie of Ecuador. {Photograph}: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Pictures
A stray ball again to his defence by Moises Caicedo was stolen by Davy Klaassen, who then left Gakpo to take over possession and slam a left-footed rocket into the online.
However that was nearly as good because it obtained for Louis van Gaal’s aspect. Valencia’s intelligent go within the twenty fourth minute despatched Caicedo away down the left and, though his contact was heavy and allowed the Dutch to intercept, it provoked a burst of noise from the big variety of their followers that injected vitality into the Ecuador gamers.
Valencia minimize inside to fireside a shot that compelled a full stretch save out of Dutch goalkeeper Andries Noppert quickly after the half-hour mark and, as they stored up the stress, Ecuador had the ball behind the online in first-half stoppage time as Pervis Estupinan deflected the ball dwelling.
IMAGE: Netherlands’ Cody Gakpo battles for possession with Piero Hincapie of Ecuador. {Photograph}: Francois Nel/Getty Pictures
Nonetheless, it was dominated out as a result of Jackson Porozo was each offside and standing in entrance of the goalkeeper and blocking his line of sight.
The equaliser 4 minutes into the second half was at all times on the playing cards, as Ecuador stole possession in midfield and fed Estupinan for a stinging shot on the left that Noppert did properly to parry however with Valencia pouncing on the rebound.
The 33-year-old, who went off close to the tip of the sport, has now netted Ecuador’s final six World Cup finals objectives – three on the 2014 event in Brazil and three in Qatar.
IMAGE: Ecuador’s Pervis Estupinan celebrates a objective that was dominated offside. {Photograph}: Lars Baron/Getty Pictures
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