The race for Group A’s top spot is still wide open.
In a battle between two sides who won their openers, Ecuador looked far more dangerous than the Netherlands but couldn’t fully capitalize in what ended as a 1-1 draw. After 23-year-old Cody Gakpo opened scoring for the Oranje with a beautiful sixth-minute strike, they managed just one more shot the rest of the way. La Tri surged on the counterattack and striker Enner Valencia scored his World Cup-leading third goal to equalize just after halftime.
Ecuador took hold of momentum following another goal by its all-time leading scorer and threatened time and time again in the second half. A shot from Real Valladolid’s Gonzalo Plata in the 60th minute beat Dutch goalkeeper Andries Noppert but rocketed off the crossbar. All told, La Tri out-created the Netherlands 1.7 expected goals (xG) to 0.07, and while the result will be disappointing it sets them up with a showdown against Senegal that will likely decide who reaches the knockout stage.
The draw leaves both sides at four points and eliminates Qatar from contention for a knockout stage spot. It joins South Africa as just the second host ever to fail to make it out of its group—but the first to be eliminated after just two games.
Gakpo picked up right where he left off with what is starting to be a breakout tournament for the young winger. The Netherlands picked up a ball high up the pitch in the sixth minute and the 23-year-old hit a thunderous strike past goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez. The energy from the Dutch overwhelmed Ecuador early.
Gakpo’s two goals came from a pair of shots that totaled just 0.2 xG, per Opta. Talk about attacking efficiency. Transfer rumors have run wild in recent months, with several Premier League sides reportedly interested in the winger. This torrid start to the tournament will likely only serve to further his interest from top clubs.
Ecuador showed early on that its best attacking moves would likely come on direct attacks or on the break. A surging counterattack in the 24th minute nearly undid the Dutch defense, but organization at the back from the Netherlands snuffed it out before La Tri could test Noppert.
The always-dangerous Valencia was the first to put a shot on target for Ecuador. Receiving the ball on the counter, the 33-year-old cut onto his right foot and rocketed a strike to the near post that was saved by Noppert.
Ecuador’s pressure finally broke through just before the half, as it appeared that Pervis Estupiñán deflected a strike in. But the flag was raised for offside on Jackson Porozo, who was standing in an offside position in Noppert’s line of sight.
It was a tough break for an Ecuador side that probably deserved to go into the half on level terms, but it didn’t take long for another breakthrough.
Ecuador jumped on a ball lost in midfield, and Estupiñán fired a shot at goal. Noppert parried it out right into the feet of La Tri’s man of the moment, Valencia, who poked it home for his third goal in two matches.
Per Opta, Valencia has scored Ecuador’s last six World Cup Goals, dating back to 2014. His equalizer vs. the Dutch sent him into the lead for the Golden Boot race in Qatar.
Even after going a goal up, Ecuador still looked like the more threatening side. Seemingly fueled by the raucous crowd behind them, La Tri surged forward and nearly scored another when Plata’s 60th-minute strike hit the underside of the crossbar.
Valencia suffered an injury with just minutes remaining, and was forced off on a stretcher after a brave performance. The goalscorer’s status going forward in the group finale vs. Senegal will be crucial for Ecuador.
Here are the lineups for both teams:
Full World Cup Squads
Netherlands
GOALKEEPERS: Justin Bijlow (Feyenoord), Andries Noppert (Heerenveen), Remko Pasveer (Ajax)
DEFENDERS: Nathan Aké (Manchester City), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan), Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen), Matthijs de Ligt (Bayern Munich), Tyrell Malacia (Manchester United), Jurriën Timber (Ajax), Stefan de Vrij (Inter Milan), Daley Blind (Ajax)
MIDFIELDERS: Steven Berghuis (Ajax), Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Davy Klaassen (Ajax), Teun Koopmeiners (Atalanta), Marten de Roon (Atalanta), Xavi Simons (PSV Eindhoven), Kenneth Taylor (Ajax)
FORWARDS: Steven Bergwijn (Ajax), Memphis Depay (Barcelona), Cody Gakpo (PSV), Vincent Janssen (Antwerp), Luuk de Jong (PSV), Noa Lang (Club Brugge), Wout Weghorst (Beşiktaş)
Ecuador
GOALKEEPERS: Alexander Domínguez (LDU Quito), Hernán Galíndez (Aucas), Moisés Ramirez (Independiente del Valle)
DEFENDERS: Robert Arboleda (São Paulo FC), Xavier Arreaga (Seattle Sounders), Pervis Estupiñán (Brighton), Piero Hincapié (Bayer Leverkusen), William Pacho (Antwerp), Diego Palacios (LAFC), Jackson Porozo (Troyes), Ángelo Preciado (Genk), Félix Torres (Santos Laguna)
MIDFIELDERS: Moisés Caicedo (Brighton), José Cifuentes (LAFC), Alan Franco (Talleres), Carlos Gruezo (Augsburg), Romario Ibarra (Pachuca), Ángel Mena (Leon), Jhegson Méndez (LAFC), Gonzalo Plata (Real Valladolid), Ayrton Preciado (Santos Laguna), Jeremy Sarmiento (Brighton)
