Gustavo Alfaro: we closed a very good 2021; ambition is the Qatar World Cup

With the 1-1 draw against El Salvador, in a friendly game in the United States, the selection of Ecuador closes “a very good 2021, in every aspect”, assured the coach Gustavo Alfaro.

With goals from Michael Carcelén (17 minutes) and Romulo Villalobos (42 minutes), La Tri and La Selecta matched at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, a result that left a positive balance for the national coach, although with “little flavor”.

“I believe that the team started very well, he got up on the scoreboard and gave the feeling that he could reach the second goal in the first half, “he commented.

For Alfaro, lacked “lucidity and clarity to resolve a match”, situations that remain for evaluation “group and individual of the players”, he indicated.

The coach spoke of a tie that leaves “little flavor” and in the Salvadoran goal he regretted “An isolated play that caused all the merits that were made in the first half to be lost”; however, he highlighted the performance of “young people” and debutants in the national team, in the Alfaro era there are already 31.

“When I am going to put them (align) I do not ask for the document, the objective is achieved with a homogeneous mixture between experience and youth“, he pointed.

Too Alfaro pointed to the “positive” of 2021, “in every aspect”Because “we spent a year that was long, some dates were suspended and then everything was compressed with the Copa América (Brazil). We knew that this second semester defined or outlined the teams that would qualify for the World Cup, that’s why we thought about staying, knowing that several teams were going to recover and that Ecuador was the rival to beat for many teams, but the boys had good responses”, He indicated.

Among the group of new values He highlighted the presence of Diego Almeida against El Salvador (17 years old), FC Barcelona defender, who already had his debut with La Tri, with 15 minutes to change.

“Let them know that Personal performance brings them to the National Team. Diego told me that he will end up wearing this shirt, but I told him not to rush, that there are times that must be lived and that he try to incorporate and absorb everything that happens in his life. The doors are open for him and for everyone”, Said the strategist.

With the game against El Salvador The Tricolor season closes, pending the definition of the tie, with four dates for Ecuador to defend the third place in the table and the direct ticket to the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

“The ambition and the illusion is to play the World Cup, an illusion that today has a bit of reality, but now You have to analyze what is coming, the rivals and the calls that can be done for the closing of the tie, “said Alfaro. (D)