The ‘Tri’ won 2-1 against the Charrúas with a double from center back Félix Torres after Canobbio’s goal
The penalty for the Byron Castillo case made them start the playoffs with -3 points on the table
The selection of Ecuador was imposed this Tuesday by 2-1 to Uruguay with a double from central defender Félix Torres to overcome Agustín Canobbio’s initial goal, but he still does not add to the classification table due to the Byron Castillo case that made La Tri begin the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup with -3 points.
Ecuador finished the second day of the South American qualifiers with 0 points, while Uruguay was left with the 3 achieved thanks to its 3-1 victory over Chile in its first match, with a compact and versatile game that it could not replicate at the height Quito. Torres’ double also reinforced the figure of the Ecuador coach, the Spanish Félix Sánchez Bas, and his commitment to playing with three centre-backs that had received some criticism, while his rival, Marcelo Bielsa, suffered his first defeat as coach of the Celeste .
Unlike the match against Argentina, with which they lost 1-0 on the first day, Ecuador took the initiative as expected at home and as requested by Sánchez, who was right with the changes in the starting eleven by bringing on Kendry Páez , Jhojan Julio and Ángelo Preciado. Páez, author of the assist for Torres’ second goal, shone with his own light. At the age of 16 he debuted with the Ecuadorian senior team with the self-confidence that has characterized him in the minor divisions and that recently led Chelsea to sign him and leave him on loan at Independiente del Valle until he comes of age.
The local team was the one that pushed the most to win the victory and was on the verge of going ahead on the scoreboard with two strong low shots from Énner Valencia and Ángelo Preciado that the Uruguayan goalkeeper Sergio Rochet sent for a corner. Uruguay, on the other hand, had a hard time putting together plays in attack since Nicolás De la Cruz barely found space, and when he had the least offensive play he scored his goal, after an overflow by Maximiliano Araújo who served the ball for Canobbiowho immediately scored his first goal with the light blue shirt.
However, Ecuador knew how to react quickly to the cold water and, when it seemed that Uruguay would have an advantage at halftime, towers He scored, after a corner, the tie in the last breath of the first half.
La Tri came out in the second half determined to come back, which they could have achieved in the 51st minute with a missed penalty by Énner Valencia, who sent the ball wide of the three posts despite the fact that Rochet had gone the other way. The missed penalty did not discourage the Ecuadorians, who a few minutes later, in the 61st minute, achieved their goal in a tangled play that Páez unblocked with his innate talent to place the ball in the pot and finish it into the net again. towers.
Except in the last play, Ecuador did not suffer excessively to maintain the advantage that had cost them so much to achieve despite the injuries and physical discomfort of Arboleda and Preciado, and finished the first double qualifying round with a good taste in their mouths, while Uruguay He exhibited two very different faces as a local and as a visitor.