The national eleven showed flashes of good football, but the failures in the defensive system overshadowed the first of the two friendlies that will be played in the Australian dream
The defensive errors that facilitated Australia’s goals and the lack of success against the opponent’s goal, accentuated by the absence of striker Enner Valencia, injured in his right knee, clouded the start of the new era of the Ecuadorian team, with the Spanish Félix Sánchez on the bench, surpassed in his first test, in the friendly in Sydney.
The debut of Felix Sánchez with the Ecuadorian team in the first appearance on a pitch after Qatar 2022 was not satisfactory. In the World Cup, both Ecuador and the coach ended their respective careers. La Tri, with the elimination in the group stage, closed the cycle of Gustafo Alfaro. The coach left behind his stage as head of the host team.
There is a lack of filming in Ecuador, which had the ball for a large part of the game but not the forcefulness. Australia gave the feeling of being more done and better handling the key situations of the match. In addition, for the Tri, in its new stage, the absence of Valencia is not a minor issue. The Fenerbahce striker is the main guarantee against his team’s goal, which started with enthusiasm but without determination.
Before the quarter hour mark, Jose Adoni Cifuentes tested the local goalkeeper Mathew Ryan, who prevented Ecuador’s goal. Australia, however, did not waste the first one they had.
It was then in a lateral free kick, from the left that Craig Goodwin executed at the far post. Picked up by Mitchel Duke, he changed orientation and Jackson Irvine exposed the visitor’s defense to overcome Moisés Ramírez and put Australia ahead.
Ecuador responded with pride that they woke up and managed to tie eleven minutes later. The goal was also born from a set piece play that Ángel Mena executed and that was rejected by an oceanic defender. Jeremy Sarmiento, attentive, recovered the ball, circulated and sent an accurate aerial cross into the area that Félix Torres took advantage of to head it into the net.
The duel regained its balance. Until half an hour where Australia brought out the work on the pressure that caused a rude error from the Ecuadorian defense. Moisés Caicedo and Piero Hincapie’s indecision when the ball was released, rushed by the threat from their rivals, led the ball to Jackson Irvine who sent it to Awer Mabil who executed, from close range, a powerful kick that was impossible for Ramírez.
Australia reached the break with an advantage and also with the feeling that they could have sealed the game if the goalkeeper from La Tri, minutes later, had not guessed Mitchel Duke’s shot.
Ecuador faced the second half better. Caicedo was able to equalize with a great volley in the front that Ryan undid although in the final stretch Harry Souttar had the third in hand for Graham Arnold’s box.
A good individual action by Alexander Alvarado encouraged Sánchez’s team, which completely sank six from the end, when Garang Kuol after receiving a ball from Aziz Behich in a counterattack, scored again for Australia, the final goal.
The attempt to amend the situation did not continue. The changes cut the rhythm of a duel marked by ocean dominance and the lack of order of the Tristill in full adaptation to its new era.
– Datasheet:
3 – Australia: Mathew Ryan; Milos Degenek, Harry Souttar, Kye Rowles, Aziz Behich; Awer Mabil (Garang Kuol, m.78), Keanu Baccus (Alex Robertson, m.63), Aiden O’Neill, Craig Goodwin (Marco Tilio, m.78); Mitchell Duke (Brandon Borrello, m.63) e Jackson Irvine (Connor Metcalfe, m.90).
1 – Ecuador: Moises Ramirez; Angelo Preciado (Xavier Arreaga, m.69), Félix Torres, Piero Hincapie, Pervis Estupiñán; Jhegson Méndez, Moisés Caicedo, Jose Adoni Cifuentes Charcopa, Angel Mena (Junior Somoza, m.69), Jeremy Sarmiento (Alexander Alvarado, m.30) and Michael Estrada (Kevin Rodríguez, m.69).
goals: 1-0, m.12: Jackson Irvine; 1-1, m.23: Felix Torres; 2-1, m.32: Awer Mable; 3-1, m.84: Rainbow
Referee: Dae Yong Kim (KOR). He showed a yellow card to Aziz Behich.
incidences: international friendly match played at the CommBank stadium in Sydney. (EFE)
Félix Sánchez is the new coach of the Tri