Ecuador get well-deserved draw vs. Netherlands as Valencia eyes Golden Boot

AL RAYYAN, Qatar -- Ecuador continued its beardown commencement to the World Cup, coming backmost from a extremity down to gully with the Netherlands, 1-1, astatine Khalifa International Stadium. The South American broadside equalized done Enner Valencia aboriginal successful the 2nd fractional and took an important measurement toward advancing retired of the radical stage.

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Rapid Reaction

1. Tactical alteration from Ecuador pays off

After playing with a backmost 4 to unfastened the tournament, Ecuador made a large tactical displacement successful however it acceptable up against the Netherlands with Troyes centerback Jackson Porozo coming into the squad to regenerate Romario Ibarra, who played mostly connected the near broadside of midfield against Qatar.

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When the Netherlands scored conscionable six minutes successful -- owed to an errant backmost walk from Brighton and Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo -- it seemed similar the alteration mightiness person backfired but that wasn't the case. Outside of that moment, Ecuador controlled the remainder of the crippled and got the equalizer soon aft halftime.

There's nary uncertainty Ecuador should consciousness bully astir however it played, but to beryllium arsenic ascendant arsenic it was and not get the 3 points feels similar a missed opportunity. Now they'll play the African champions, Senegal, needing a triumph oregon gully to beforehand to the knockout signifier for the 2nd clip successful past and archetypal clip since 2006.

2. Historically mediocre accidental instauration from the Netherlands

This was the Netherlands' slightest threatening onslaught successful a crippled going backmost implicit a decade. Dating backmost to 2010, the Netherlands worst single-game Expected Goals (xG) output implicit 187 matches was 0.25, according the TruMedia StatsPerform database. Only 3 times has it dipped beneath 0.4.

Against Ecuador, they managed conscionable 0.07, a historically inept output for a squad that doesn't deficiency for attacking talent. Which brings america to Cody Gakpo. His sublime aboriginal decorativeness -- and 2nd extremity of the tourney -- saved the constituent for Netherlands, giving the Dutch 4 points done 2 games.

With Qatar up next, the Dutch should person harmless transition to the Round of 16 aft missing the 2018 tournament, but it's hard to envision a heavy tourney tally pursuing this performance.

3. Golden Boot grant ticker for Enner Valencia

Who had Enner Valencia arsenic their Golden Boot grant pick? The Fenerbahce guardant scored the equalizer aboriginal successful the 2nd fractional and sits connected 3 goals aft 2 games, pursuing his two-goal show connected the tournament's opening night. Five goals has been bully capable to triumph the Golden Boot astatine 2 of the past 4 World Cups (2006 and 2010). It's inactive early, of course, but he's good connected his mode to becoming a fable backmost location successful South America.

Player ratings (1= worst, 10= best)

Netherlands: A. Noppert 7, J. Timber 6, V. van Dijk 7, N. Ake 7, S. Bergwijn 5, C. Gakpo 7, D. Klaassen5, D. Blind 4, T. Koopmeiners 6, F. de Jong 6, D. Dumfries 6

Subs: M. Depay 5, S. Berghuis 6, de Roon 6, Weghorst 6

Ecuador: H. Galindez 6, F. Torres 8, P. Hincapie 7, M. Estrada 6, E. Valencia 8, A. Preciado 7, G. Plata 6, J. Mendez, M. Caicedo 5, J. Porozo 8

Subs: Sarmiento 6, Ibarra n/a, Rodriguez n/a

Best and worst performers

BEST: Valencia

He stepped up erstwhile it mattered, scoring a 49th infinitesimal extremity to springiness Ecuador an important point.

WORST: Bergwijn

There's a batch of corporate blasted for however mediocre the Netherlands were, but Bergwijn getting pulled astatine halftime was justified aft helium failed to find overmuch of the crippled successful the archetypal half.

Highlights and notable moments

Gakpo's extremity was the lone changeable connected people for the Netherlands.

Valencia continues to beryllium cardinal for Ecuador and is an aboriginal contender to triumph the Golden Boot.

The existent scoring person of the 2022 FIFA World Cup: Enner Valencia 🇪🇨✍️ pic.twitter.com/frpAtRsPYf

After the match: What the players and managers said

Quotes to come...

Key stats (provided by ESPN Stats & Information)

- Cody Gakpo's extremity successful the 6th infinitesimal is the fastest extremity scored successful the 2022 World Cup truthful far.

- Cody Gakpo: 2nd World Cup extremity successful his 2nd World Cup game

- Enner Valencia present has 6 of Ecuador's 13 World Cup goals.

- With the draw, Qatar is the archetypal squad eliminated from the 2022 FIFA World Cup

Up next

Netherlands: The Dutch volition look World Cup hosts Qatar connected Nov. 29 astatine 10 a.m. ET. For the Qataris, who are already retired of the tournament, the lucifer volition beryllium consolation for an different mediocre performance. Meanwhile the Netherlands volition seal their qualification into the knockouts.

Ecuador: Tuesday's lucifer against Senegal (10 a.m. ET) ever figured to beryllium the pivotal 1 for Ecuador and that remains true.