Ecuador

It is a team that has its main strength not in its playing style or individual quality but one that exploits to maximum their geographical location. Ecuador lies in high mountains and only home team knows how to play in such conditions.

Antonio Valencia – Ecuador’s symbol

Ecuador’s form at home is one of the best in the world. They have won all of their games bar one draw with Argentina. Of course their away form is much worse, but even still, they managed to secure a play in the World Cup. It’s mainly down to the coach Reinaldo Rueda, who four years ago guided Honduras to their second World Cup appearance in history and now managed to do it with Ecuador.

One player that epitomizes this Ecuador team is Antonio Valencia. Generally he has good results but there’s something about him that doesn’t make him world class. He moved from Wigan to Manchester United in 2009 as a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo but soon United fans discovered that the Ecuadorian is somehow weaker that the Portuguese.

He’s not a player of Ronaldo’s dimensions and outside of his pace and endurance, there’s not much about him. Alex Ferguson and David Moyes utilised him as a right winger and then a right back.

He generally does what a winger should do: run wide, put a cross, dribble past full back. But when playing in defence, he lacks positioning and concentration to do that for 90 minutes. And of course, he lacks creativity and that x-factor that made Ronaldo who he is today.

Future stars

Same goes for Ecuador – it’s a fast, intense team but lacks organisation and quality. They still mourn the loss of Christian Benitez, who died of a cardiac arrest last year. He was the country’s top scorer for a long time and also a cult figure in Mexican league. Felipe Caicedo of Lokomotiv Moscow might try to replicate Benitez’s form. He is on track though, he was Ecuador’s leading scorer in qualifying, scoring seven goals in nine games.

Another key player is Walter Ayovi of Mexican league superpower Pachuca. He is the national team’s captain and plays as a midfielder. But first and foremost, Rueda takes him to Brazil because of his experience (he played in 2006 and 2010 World Cups) and endurance (the only player to play in every minute of the qualifying games).

Big hopes are on the shoulders of a young, 19-year old midfielder Carlos Gruezo, who moved to Stuttgart in January and made eight appearances in Bundesliga since then, showing good defensive skills and helping his team stay in the German top flight.

Playing style

Ecuador plays a quick, passionate and intense football. They are a hard working and aggressive team but generally one that lacks quality in crucial parts of the field: central midfield and defence. They generally play in a 4-4-2 formation but are also capable of utilising 4-3-3.

Coach

Reinaldo Rueda is a national team coach through and throughout. He coached Colombia before moving to Honduras and guiding it to a first World Cup in 28 years in 2010. Keeping a low profile, he prioritises meticulous preparation.

Schedule and BETEGY suggestions

15th June, Brasilia: vs. Switzerland (1-1)

20th June, Curitiba: vs. Honduras (1-2)

25th June, Rio de Janeiro: vs. France (0-1)

Even with four points, they should be able to advance into the knockout stages (50%) chance but it will be a close call with Switzerland getting the same results. In the Round of 16, BETEGY thinks Ecuador will play Argentina lose 1-2 and thus return home.