France have already been guaranteed a place in the next round of the tournament owing to their terrific form as of late. Despite the absence of talismanic winger Franck Ribery, France have exceeded expectations producing commendable performances in the last two matches scoring eight goals in the process.
Karim Benzema has been the star of the team so far registering three goals in the competition. The Real Madrid forward has been unlucky with a goal in the first match against Honduras ruled as an own goal after the ball bounced off against the goalkeeper, whereas his wonderstrike in the dying moments in the match against Switzerland was not counted after the referee had already blown his whistle.The 26 year old has been content with his recent form but claimed that he can do even better for his side.
"I am in my head 100 percent, but I can do better," the 26-year-old said.
"I also [reap the benefits of] the work of my teammates. It's not [just] me, it's everyone. Even those who did not start the first game and who returned to this one.”
"Oliver [Giroud] and I have confidence that whenever we play together, we will have an understanding. After that, it's not Karim or Olivier, it's everyone who pulls the team up.”
The Real Madrid man has scored eight in his last nine games for les Bleus. He appeared in a buoyant mood after the match and seemed optimistic about his team’s chances in the competition.
"Since the beginning, I have had dreams," he said. "I have goals in mind. Gradually, you get there. I've been convinced that we will get better for a while."
"I am happy and proud. It was a big game, we scored goals, we played as a team. We gave our answers on the pitch. We had heart to win that game. We're very pleased with the performance and we'll try to repeat it against Ecuador."
Ecuador on the other hand must better Switzerland’s result against Honduras if they are to secure qualification to the next round. Ecuador failed to get any points on the board in their first match when they lost 2-1 to Switzerland but produced an impressive performance in the second match against Honduras.
Ecuador will once again be hoping Enner Valencia can produce the goods for the national side. The 25 year old has one goal less than the tournament’s top scorer Neymar and has been Ecuador’s most impressive player so far.
Valencia who plays his trade at Mexican club Pachuca expressed his delight after scoring twice against Honduras and is hoping for a positive performance in the decider against France.
“They were goals that helped us get the three points," he said after the match. “It is a joy and we are going to take it into the last match [against France]."
“They are goals that one dreams about as a child and then those dreams come true thanks to the coach and this wonderful team. I would like to be here forever but the most important thing is the team qualify for the next stage.”
Where to watch the match – live stream, start time, TV channels, live scores
Watch Ecuador vs France live on Wednesday, June 25, 2014:
In the US at 16.00 EST on:
- On TV: ESPN Deportes, ESPN, Univision USA,Univision Deportes USA, Univision Deportes En Vivo
- Online & Apps: ESPN3 Online-App, WATCH ESPN,SiriusXM FC
- Audio / Radio: ESPN Radio,
In Canada at 16.00 ET on:
- Online & Apps: CBC Sports Live Streaming,
- Audio / Radio: ICI Radio-Canada En Direct, Radio Canada - CBC, CBC
In the UK at 21.00 BST on:
- On TV: BBC Red Button, BBC One UK,
- Online & Apps: The BBC iPlayer, The BBC iPlayer
- Audio / Radio: TalkSport Radio, BBC Radio 5 Live
In Australia
- On TV: SBS One Australia
- Audio / Radio: SBS Radio 4
For complete details of match listings and live scores, visit the Ecuador vs France match page.
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