Paraguay |
2 - 1
This match has ended. Upcoming related matches:
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Ecuador |
Paraguay vs Ecuador Live Streams and TV Channels
| Country | Channels |
|---|---|
| United States | Dish Network, DirecTV |
| Other Countries | |
| Portugal | Sport TV1 |
| *Don't see your country or favourite channel listed? Let us know and we will include it. | |
Paraguay vs Ecuador Delayed and Repeat Broadcasts
| Country | Date/Time (US/Eastern) | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Fri, Nov 11 20:45pm | Setanta Sports Australia |
| Sun, Nov 13 19:00pm | Setanta Sports Australia | |
| Tue, Nov 15 1:45am | Setanta Sports Australia | |
| *Don't see your country or favourite channel listed? Let us know and we will include it. | ||
Paraguay vs Ecuador Match Preview
Paraguay will be after their first victory of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador in Asuncion.
Paraguay midfielder Barreto (left) will miss the game
Due to those results, Francisco Arce, the new coach of Paraguay, will be obligated to secure a victory against Ecuador. Paraguay have consolidated themselves as one of South America's strongest sides over the years, much due to their hard-working attitude. In the 2010 World Cup, which was their fourth successive appearance on soccer's most important stage, they reached the quarter-finals only to be defeated by eventual world champions Spain.
In team news, Arce stated that he had yet to decide whether to choose Sergio Aquino or Victor Ayala, both of Libertad, as Edgar Barreto's replacement. Barreto will miss the match due to injury. As well as this, the coach has not yet made up his mind as to whom will partner Nelson Haedo Valdez in the attack. This player will either be Lucas Barrios or Luis Caballero.
Arce affirmed that he will not modify the "structure of the team" and that he will field "all of the attacking weapons" in the search for Paraguay's first victory of their qualifying campaign in front of the home fans at the Defensores del Chaco stadium.
Ecuador, on the other hand, claimed a comfortable 2-0 win over Venezuela in their only match of the qualifiers so far. Reinaldo Rueda, the coach of Ecuador, has yet to decide on his starting eleven, however, he insists that it will be an almost identical side as to the one that beat the Venezuelans.
Having missed out on the 2010 World Cup, Ecuador are hoping to return to their best and they definitely have the right material to do so, with Antonio Valencia of Manchester United clearly their standout player. Rueda affirmed that his squad "have the will and heaps of optimism" to pick up a positive result in the Paraguayan capital.
However, the coach warned that Ecuador have never won or drawn in Paraguay but that the intention of his squad is to "make history, win or draw" against the hosts. In the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, Ecuador were on the wrong end of a 5-1 defeat to Paraguay in Asuncion. The most recent encounter between the sides was in the group stage of the 2011 Copa America, where they fought out a goalless draw. Ecuador ended up bowing out at the first hurdle of the tournament, while Paraguay ended up reaching the final.
Paraguay vs Ecuador Match Report
Paraguay record their first three points of the qualifiers with narrow win over Ecuador in Asuncion.
Veron (centre) scored Paraguay's second goal
After a slow and rather ordinary start to the match, as the minutes ticked by Paraguay came more and more into the match, controlling their rivals with dominant passing and aggressive soccer.
Ecuador looked switched off, however, each time Antonio Valencia moved forward he created problems for the Paraguay defense. The Manchester United winger looked very dangerous in an attacking sense, however, often he was provided with little help from his team-mates.
In the 20th minute, Marcelo Estigarribia went on a brilliant solo run and he unleashed a powerful shot that was pushed out for a corner-kick by Ecuador goalkeeper Maximo Banguera. Two minutes later Dario Veron tested Banguera with a shot from a Richard Ortiz cross, but his effort was blocked by the goalkeeper.
One minute into the second half, Victor Ayala pumped a dangerous free-kick into the area and Christian Riveros connected to it with a precise volley at the back post to put the Paraguayans ahead.
Before the Ecuadorians had any time to react, in the 57th minute Paraguay went two-up, when Veron met a dipping corner-kick delivered by Ayala with a fine header.
Ayala, who was in charge of executing all of Paraguay's dead-ball situations, almost found the back of the net himself, but his dangerous free-kick was well-saved by Banguera.
A lapse of concentration from the Paraguay defense allowed Joao Rojas to score a consolation goal for the visitors, when he connected to a short cross from Valencia with a clever header in the 92nd minute.
In the fourth round of the Brazil 2014 World Cup qualifiers, Paraguay travel to Santiago to do battle with Chile, while Ecuador take on Peru in Quito.