Virtually qualified for the 2022 World Cup, Ecuador hopes to officially get its ticket to Qatar when it visits Paraguay this Thursday, a team that long ago ran out of World Cup options. The match, valid for the penultimate date of the tie, also represents for the Tricolor the opportunity to score points for the first time in its presentations in Guarani stadiums, since 1981.
In eight pre-world games in Paraguay the National Team has the same number of defeats. The most repeated score in those lost duels is 2-1, recorded four times. Ecuador has received 20 visiting goals and has scored 7.
Argentine Gustavo Alfaro could become the fourth coach to qualify Ecuador for a World Cup, after doing so with Colombians Hernán Gómez (2002), Luis Fernando Suárez (2006) and Reinaldo Rueda (2014). He can also be a pioneer with units obtained with the Tri in Paraguay.
Spain 1982
Heading to the World Cup that year, Ecuador shared a group with Chile and Paraguay, when the Conmebol squads were divided into keys, before the all-against-all format was implemented.
On May 31, the National Team, under the command of Uruguayan coach Juan Eduardo Hohberg, visited the Defensores del Chaco stadium to suffer a 3-1 loss in Asunción. Miguel Micheagnoli, Eugenio Morel and Julio César Romero (Romerito) scored for the host. Wilson Nieves discounted.
In that qualifying debut in Paraguay, the Tri formed with: Carlos Delgado; Flavio Perlaza, Ecuador Figueroa, Orly Klinger, Digner Valencia; Belford Parraga, Pepe Paes, Polo Carrera; Mario Tenorio (Fabian Burbano), Lupo Quinonez, Nieves.
Italy 1990
With Colombia as the one that would qualify for the World Cup, Ecuador and Paraguay completed one of the South American qualifying groups. With Dusan Draskovic as DT, the National Team played in Asunción on September 10, 1989. It was a 2-1 defeat.
“Ecuador should have at least equalized, but the Peruvian referee José Ramírez left without sanctioning a very clear penalty by Rogelio Delgado against Raúl Avilés,” historian Mauro Velásquez said in his book Ecuadorian soccer and its national team.
Roberto Cabañas and Javier Ferreira put the white and red ones up. the turbine Avilés reduced the distance with a goal in the 80th minute.
France 1998
On November 10, 1996, the third national fall took place in Paraguay in an eliminatory commitment. The Colombian Francisco Maturana was the coach of the Tricolor, who in the Defensores del Chaco missed several scoring options in a match resolved 1-0 for the locals with a goal by Miguel Ángel Benítez. The Guarani went to France 1998; Ecuador lost the trip.
Japan-South Korea 2002
Although at the end of the first qualifying round of the 21st century they represented a success for Ecuador, which qualified as Hernán Roll Gómez on the bench, the customs of Asunción could not be overcome.
The National Team lost 3-1 on June 3, 2000. A brace by Hugo Brizuela (who later played for Barcelona SC) and a goal by Delio Toledo sentenced the red-and-white victory. For the Tricolor, Ariel Graziani was the only one who could beat goalkeeper and captain José Luis Chilavert.
Germany 2006
still with the bolillo Gómez as DT, before being replaced by Luis Fernando Suárez, for a change, Ecuador could not add points in his visit to Paraguay. On November 15, 2003, the Guarani won 2-1.
For the second time in a row it was the goalkeeper José Francisco Cevallos who was punished with the Paraguayan goals. Roque Santa Cruz opened the account at 29 minutes, temporarily tied at 1 Édison Méndez, at 58; but at 75 the fearsome José Saturnino Cardozo gave his country the three points.
South Africa 2010
“Many times one is looking for changes and does not realize that the change must be oneself.” With this phrase the Colombian coach, Luis Fernando Suárez, made known his decision to resign irrevocably”, published EL UNIVERSO on November 18, 2007, 24 hours after the worst defeat of the Tri in their visits to Paraguay.
In the 5-1 heading to South Africa 2010, goalkeeper Marcelo Elizaga had to stand in front of the firing squad. Nelson Haedo Valdez (9 minutes), Cristian Riveros (26 and 88), Roque Santa Cruz (50 minutes) and Néstor Ayala (87) scored the goals for the Paraguayan team. Iván Kaviedes (85) scored for the visit.
Brazil 2014
Ecuador qualified for the World Cup for the third time, but that was not enough for Reinaldo Rueda’s squad to rescue units in Asunción in that tie. On November 11, 2011, Paraguay won 2-1 “supported by aerial play, one of its historical strengths”.
Cristian Riveros at 46 minutes and defender Darío Verón at 57 made the goals for the host. Joao Rojas discounted in the second minute of additional time.
Russia 2018
“A lackluster Ecuadorian team lost 2-1 to Paraguay at the Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asunción, on date 13 of the 2018 Russia qualifiers, and left the direct qualifying zone for the World Cup event,” said this newspaper after the game lost on March 23, 2017.
It was added that “Paraguayan defender Bruno Valdez scored the first goal of the night with a header at 12 minutes, while Júnior Alonso increased the count at 64. Attacker Felipe Caicedo discounted a penalty for Ecuador at 69″ . The DT of the Tricolor was Gustavo Quinteros. (D)
Source: Eluniverso
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