Valencia earns Ecuador remarkable draw to set up grand end to Group A

Ecuador put up a dogged performance to hold European heavyweights The Netherlands to a spirited 1-1 draw in their Group A clash of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The result leaves both teams on four points setting up a grand finish to the group after Senegal’s comfortable victory over Qatar earlier. 

Dutch coach Louis van Gaal had labelled the South Americans a difficult opponent, but the Dutch opened the scoring inside six minutes as Coady Gakpo blasted home. The Europeans rarely threatened and left the door open for an equalizer which Enner Valencia provided in the second half. La Tri’s record goal scorer tapped in from close range after the restart. 

The Netherlands started on the front foot and were soon ahead just six minutes in. The goal scorers from the opening game combined as Gakpo latched on to Davy Klaasen’s ball, with the Ecuador defence struggling to clear the ball. The PSV striker sent a left-footed belter past Hernan Galindez to put Ons Oranje into the lead. 
Ecuador grew into the game and were soon creating chances themselves. Yet, the Dutch defence stood firm as Valencia and Michael Estrada combined well down the left, while Pervis Estupinian proved a menace.  

Valencia soon tested Andries Noppert after easily beating Denzel Dumfries just past the half-hour mark. The Dutch goalkeeper making only his second international debut pushed out for a corner.

As the Dutch faded, Ecuador grew in stature, buoyed by loud support from the stands. Estupinian thought he had pulled La Tri level right at halftime, but the referee rightly ruled out his effort because Jackson Porozzo was clearly offside and in the line of sight of the Dutch goalkeeper as both sides went into the half.

The Netherlands coach sent on Memphis Depay at the start of the second half for Steven Bergwijn but the Barcelona man, who is still nursing a hamstring injury, looked a shell of himself with the European side labouring to match their fast and physical opponents. 

Ecuador soon drew level thanks to Valencia four minutes into the restart. The country’s all-time scorer tapped in from close range after Noppert pushed Estupinian’s low effort onto his path.

The South Americans, clearly spurred by the goal, almost took the lead just before the hour mark. The industrious Angelo Presiado fired in a low cross which was met by Valencia, but Virgil van Dijk blocked, and the ball fell kindly for Gonzalo Plata, whose shot beat Noppert but bounced off the crossbar. 

The Dutch soon put a few passes together, but Teun Koopmeiners could only shoot wide from the edge of the box.

Netherlands' Cody Gakpo scores their first goal yesterday. REUTERS

Van Gaal sent on Wout Weghorst for goal scorer Gakpo 13 minutes before time, though the big striker hardly saw the ball.

La Tri’s Valencia Was stretchered off just before the end, holding his knee; the forward has been dealing with the niggling injury since the opening match. 

“It’s not a win, but we are proud of what we can do as a team,” Presciado said after the match.

“For us, it’s a big thing to play like this. We are going to play hard in our final game to ensure we go through to the next round.”

The Dutch managed only two shots on target all game, whereas defender Jurrien Timber insisted the Dutch weren’t surprised by Ecuador’s play but stressed they must improve in the next match. 

“We weren’t tired, but they were more aggressive than us. That’s also something among many things we need to work on. We knew they were a good and aggressive team. So it was not a surprise how they played. We weren’t good on the ball, and we have to work on it. We need to look at how we play game by game. We play Qatar next, and we have to improve our game.”

Both teams need just one point from their last group matches, with Ecuador facing a more challenging task against Senegal while The Netherlands will take on the already eliminated Qatar.