Ecuador is tied on issues and goal difference with the Netherlands at the top of Group A and only needs to avoid defeat to Senegal on Tuesday to secure a place in the knockout stages.
“(I can) see an evolution, an evolution, teams,” Alfaro said at a prematch news conference.
“Before there was a very marked difference between the favourites and the others, but suddenly we are seeing tied matches.
“This is how expansion works: the expansion of Asian football, African football, South American football. “
Ecuador beat hosts Qatar 2-0 at the start of the World Cup, before drawing with the Netherlands 1-1 despite dominating the European giants for much of the match.
The South Americans will be the most sensitive in the organization if they avoid defeat and the result of the Netherlands against Qatar.
They have reached knockout level once, losing 1-0 at knockout levels to England in 2006 when David Beckham scored a free kick.
“One of Ecuador’s strengths is that we’ve been able to do the things we want to order,” Alfaro said.
“We to grow.
“We kept our physical qualities and our herbal qualities, but we knew we had to do things differently, because there are other nationals who do things bigger than us. “
Star striker and captain Enner Valencia, author of Ecuador’s 3 goals in Qatar, suffers a knee injury, but Alfaro expects him to play.
“He has a sprained knee, but he has a great center and needs to be in each and every war for our national team. “
Alfaro, 60, vowed that the team will “try to play in the World Cup in the history of Ecuador,” while highlighting his team’s “great future” in the game.
“We respect the pecking order, but we don’t want to be afraid. We are creating our own path. “