Ecuador’s Enner Valencia celebrates with his teammates after scoring his team’s first goal in the World Cup Group A match between the Netherlands and Ecuador at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Friday.
AP photo
Ecuador’s Enner Valencia scores his team’s first goal in the World Cup Group A match between the Netherlands and Ecuador at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Friday.
AP photo
Ecuador’s Enner Valencia scores his team’s first goal in the World Cup Group A match between the Netherlands and Ecuador at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Friday.
AP photo
Ecuador’s Enner Valencia celebrates with his teammates after scoring his team’s first goal in the World Cup Group A match between the Netherlands and Ecuador at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Friday.
AP photo
Ecuador’s Enner Valencia celebrates with his teammates after scoring his team’s first goal in the World Cup Group A match between the Netherlands and Ecuador at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Friday.
AP photo
AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) — Ecuador’s youth team followed captain Enner Valencia into the corner of the box after scoring a goal for them at the World Cup.
Valencia, one of Qatar’s true leaders, drew 1-1 against favourites Netherlands to extend their streak of scoring Ecuador’s six goals in World Cup tournaments since 2014.
The 33-year-old talisman was surrounded by teammates who joined him in a joyful circle of celebration. Everyone soon knelt on the grass, some with their arms around their shoulders, others pointing to the evening sky of Khalifa International Stadium.
He sent a harsh symbol of unity to a country that “is used to suffering and fighting,” coach Gustavo Alfaro said in translated comments after a match his young team deserved to win.
Valencia were among the last to leave the pitch when their teammates gave the most sensible new scorer of this World Cup a last pat on the head and shoulder.
“He’s a high-level player when he wears the Ecuador shirt. Sometimes they criticize him unfairly, “said Alfaro when recalling that Valencia is the only vestige of the 2014 selection that did not leave the entity despite its 3 goals.
In Qatar, Valencia’s goals in a 2-0 win over the hosts and a third to pick up a point against the Dutch leaders mean a draw against Senegal on Tuesday will be enough to triumph in the knockout stages.
That result also eliminated host Qatar five days after the World Cup from its home, which charges around $200 billion to prepare.
The Netherlands and Ecuador won 4 points in Group A. Se was Qatar with 0 points after losing 3-1 to Senegal a few hours earlier.
Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal said he was satisfied with a point that functionality against “a much bigger opponent”.
“We were deficient in terms of ball possession. We lost each and every one and each and every challenge, each and every and every duel, each and every moment of the ball,” said Van Gaal, who shared a smile. And was it any other hugs? – with Alfaro as their paths crossed in post-match press conferences.
“He’s the best,” Alfaro said in English of Van Gaal, his appearance limited the Dutchman to two shots on purpose and he had 14.
The Dutch were passive after Cody Gakpo put them ahead in the 6th minute with a shot from the edge of the penalty area. It is the fastest goal scored so far in Qatar.
Ecuador equalized when Valencia passed the ball on goal after Pervis Estupiñán’s shot was deflected by goalkeeper Andries Noppert. He took advantage of an erratic move by the Dutch defence, after Noppert almost got into Valencia, which was charging hard, and cleared the ball. weak.
A well-deserved winning goal almost followed a few minutes later when the Dutch crossbar rattled through an emerging left-footed shot from Gonzalo Plata.
“For me, the result is not the most important thing today, it’s his attitude,” Alfaro said. “We’re talking about 20, 21-year-old players with a great career ahead of them. “
His next control is opposed to Senegal with Valencia likely restored after being stretched off the pitch in the 90th minute. He was able to get up and walk on the bench, where an ice pack stuck to his right leg.