Ecuador with its mind set on taking away the undefeated Brazil and shortening distances to reach Qatar

Ecuador will leave tomorrow, Thursday, to try to shorten the way to the Qatar World Cup 2022, at the expense of the undefeated and already qualified Brazil, in the match of the fifteenth date of the South American qualifiers, in the Ecuadorian capital, Quito.

While Brazil qualified early, Ecuador will seek to do so in the remaining four dates, since it is third in the standings, with 23 points, six more than Colombia Y Peru.

The technician from Ecuador, the Argentinian Gustavo Alfaro, is convinced and will try to convince his players that, if they want to shorten the path to Qatar, they will have to beat a big player in the current tie.

Although the current moment in Ecuador is not the best due to injuries and infections of a good number of players with covid-19, it will arrive with the historic precedent of having beaten Chile for the first time last November, in qualifying rounds, by 0-2 in Santiago.

Alfaro is convinced that, although most of his players are young and are playing their first round, they are willing to face challenges like the one next Thursday which, if they achieve victory, would leave them classified or one point away from achieving it, depending on the other results of the double date.

While former local and foreign technicians have suggested, through social networks, that Ecuador should approach its match with extreme defensive care, because a tie would also be valid for its aspirations, Alfaro assured that he will die in his Law: present an offensive proposal.

Ecuador was cementing, from the first game, the possibility of going to its fourth World Cup, that of Qatar, always going on the attack in each game, as a result of which, it scored 23 goals, behind Brazil, which has 27, but they also converted 13 goals, in 14 games.

Although Alfaro is already calm because of the defensive system that he managed to put together, in the last 8 games, he received three goals, when the previous average was 1.75 goals per game, where the young defenders stand out Piero Hincapie, 20 years old, and Felix Torres, of 25.

While the midfielder Casemiro assured that Brazil will come out with the usual proposal, to be strong and demanding against a respected team, like Ecuador, which is close to qualifying for the World Cup.

The Real Madrid midfielder asserted that for Brazil there are no friendly matches or formalities, that the best will always be expected of his team and that, although it is already qualified for the World Cup, the same proposal will continue, game by game, looking to improve as a team.

The coach of Brazil, Tite, will not have Neymar, due to physical problems, and will have an attack made up of Real Madrid forwards Vinicius Junior and that of Atletico Matheus Cunha.

It will be the second time that Brazil will expose the undefeated in a tie against Ecuador, in Quito, because in November 2004, they lost 1-0 with a goal from Edison Mendez, by the twelfth date for the World Cup in Germany 2006.

Likely lineups:

Ecuador: Alexander Dominguez; Ángelo Preciado, Félix Torres, Piero Hincapié, Pervis Estupiñán; Carlos Gruezo, Alan Franco, Moises Caicedo, Gonzalo Plata; Enner Valencia and Michael Estrada. DT: Gustavo Alfaro.

Brazil: Alisson; Emerson, Éder Militao, Thiago Silva, Alex Sandro; Casemiro, Fred, Rafinha, Philippe Coutinho; Vinicius Júnior and Matheus Cunha. DT: Tite

Referee: Wilmar Roldán, from Colombia, assisted by his compatriots Alexander Guzmán and Jhon León.

WHERE: Leodán González, from Uruguay, assisted by his compatriot Nicolás Tarán.

Stadium: Rodrigo Paz Delgado, owned by Liga de Quito.

Hour: 16.00 (D)