I agree with your assessment except for a very big factor, which is motivation - in this case it is 100% on England's U-21 side. Almost all the guys on the Ecuadorian team are experienced guys playing in foreign leagues, and many of them are also solid first-team players. They will be protecting their legs. As Ecuadorian fans we are all quite puzzled as to the point of this friendly, other than $$$ from Spain-based Ecuadorians.
http://www.eluniverso.com/2009/02/09/1/1372/6D77F4D949D64E4B987586BF41BFAAAA.html Vizuete quoted me today in official statements to El Universo Also he supported my comments about preferring to play in Quito It's obvious that the FEF is making decisions for $$$ reasons against Vizuete's will, and not for the good of the team. I hope this ends well.
Of course England scores the first goal on a terrible defensive blunder. I'm telling you this game was a bad idea...I can hear the jokes already.
2-0. I told you. This is going to be an embarrassment of historic proportions. Total f%cking distaster. Prestige is everything in football, in this game we have everything to lose, and nothing to win. Any prestige we had coming from the 2006 WC has now been lost. As far as big countries like England are concerned, we are a joke, since their U-21 side is handing us our ass. Nice job Chiriboga. You moron. Scrapping together these useless friendlies in Spain may make a quick buck today, but in the long-run nobody will show up to watch a poor quality display. Worst of all, this does damage to the reputation of our players in the international market.
Yikes, England U21 2-0 Ecuador, at HT. Adam Johnson and Fraizer Campbell net the goals. On a more pleasing note for you guys, this match is actually classed as England U21 vs Ecuador U23, so if any of you are a bit embarrassed, this should be pushed aside on knowing that it is the U23 side that are losing, and not the true Ecuador.
Hang on a second, according to Sky Sports, this match is actually England U21 vs Ecuador U21: http://www.skysports.com/football/match_preview/0,19764,11065_3105962,00.html U23, U21, Senior side? Does anyone know what the 100% correct answer is?
It's not our U-23. About 5 of our first team guys are out there. The problem is we are missing our 2 "stars", Valencia and Benitez, as well as our 2 central defenders, Hurtado and Espinoza. And frankly, we have never had any depth, so the replacements are a big drop-off in quality. The biggest issue is now our attack, with Caicedo not seeing regular first-team action, and Palacios, who has been given MANY chances but is NOT national team material. Our U-21 would probably give a better showing, they are actually very good and would have been motivated for this match.
The 2nd half sees the real Ecuador awaken, and the match pans out as it should. Joffre Guerron, Pablo Palacios, and Felipe Caicedo net 2nd half goals to put Ecuador 3-2 up.
Result: Ecuador 3 - 2 England U21 Ecuador Goal Scorers: Guerron (53), Palacios (54), Caicedo (82). England U21 Goal Scorers: Johnson (14), Campbell (42).
Leave it to Ecuador to turn what was supposed to be an fairly easy sparring match into a last-gasp nail-biter. I can't remember the last time we had a comfortable victory. I think it was late 2006 against Peru.
it just amazes me why MATAMBA is playing for the NT.. I use to nutmeg him all the damn time.. he was always horrible. what a jackass of a coach.
Thanks! Here's a direct link to the video: http://www.omnisport.tv/page/videoDetails/0,,12637~1322913,00.html
la sele needs to step it up...we cant go to africa playing like that.... we need the sub kids more time in the la sele...time for a new golie Dida??