Atahualpa remains the key as Ecuador advances to the World Cup

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For several months late last year and during the spring of this year it seemed like Ecuador could do no wrong in its World Cup qualifying campaign. Goleadas over Paraguay and impressive ties away to Venezuela and Uruguay. Every game at home they won. And then came a low. A tie versus Argentina at home and a loss at Peru and a tie away at Bolivia. Usually these games meant 9 points.

It was the Caicedo-Benitez tandem that gave Ecuador the dream of reaching its third ever World Cup. But suddenly we saw that this wasn't an invincible Ecuador. Dropping a game at Peru for the first time in five World Cup cycles gave Ecuadorians a scare that they might not make it. Then came the tragic loss of Christian Benitez.

But after the letdown of the Bolivia game in La Paz came one more chance to win at home at the Atahualpa. And that's what did it for Ecuador. The Uruguay game has come to signify the ultimate key to the World Cup for Ecuador. It was there that a Kaviedes goal in 2001 sealed their first ever entry into the tournament and it was there last Friday that Jefferson Montero put Ecuador in a position where the worst they could do was a continental playoff versus Jordan.

Ecuador ran all over all night versus the Charruas and Luis Suarez and Edison Cavani attacked but eventually subsided and rescinded control to the Ecuador defense. Was it the altitude?

Invariably, one has to give some credit to the altitude when it comes to Ecuador's impressive streak at home: 7 wins and 1 tie and zero losses. But one should say the same for Bolivia, correct? And yet the Altiplano crew cannot win at home and gets pummeled away. So yes, we have to give credit to an Ecuador futbol that has ascended leaps and bounds in the last couple of decades.

From the days of Dusan Draskovic to the rise of the Colombian guard in charge of the national team: from Maturana, who got the country ever so close to 1998, to Hernan Dario Gomez, the man that gave the country its ultimate wish in reaching Korea/Japan 2002, to Luis Fernando Suarez, who brought Ecuador to the round of 16 at Germany 2006. It was a decade-long progression that came to a stop with Suarez's second round and Sixto Vizuete. But Reinaldo Rueda picked up where Suarez left off in 2006 and Ecuador earned the right to own their house and defend their status as a South American force.

Is Ecuador a true contender? Hard to imagine it at this point. Results are based on playing in neutral venues in big tournaments and the country has been downright horrid in the Copa America. But one thing is clear, Estadio Atahualpa and Quito are fortresses that the team has guarded zealously and where players have shown all the emotion, athleticism and fantasy that make for great teams. In qualifiers it's a simple formula: win your home games and snatch a few points abroad.

Today the team lost away to Chile 1-2, but the goals collected in Quito along the way set them apart from Uruguay to clinch the fourth and final spot for Conmebol. Uruguay will now face Jordan in the continental playoffs and Ecuador is now in Brazil 2014--and deservedly so. Caicedo sealed it with a goal in Santiago, keeping the goal differential unreachable for Uruguay. 

For over two years the crowds in Quito watched the team win and score and protect their stadium. They made it clear that Ecuador is a talented soccer country and has been so for the last 16 years, but the extra catalyst is undoubtedly the 2700 meters all visitors must climb to defeat Ecuador at the Atahualpa.

Vierja Corner: Prólogo antes del partido Ecuador vs Urugay por las eliminatorias

El viernes 11 de Octubre, las selecciones de fútbol de Ecuador y Uruguay medirán fuerzas en Quito, capital del Ecuador. Quien salga avante de este partido, asegura su cupo en el mundial de Brasil 2014.

Cuatro meses atrás, Ecuador figuraba como la selección número 10 del mundo, según el escalafón FIFA,  pero el plantel de nuestro país no resistió la presión de tan alto honor de pertenecer al "top ten" mundial, o en realidad nunca fue la décima mejor selección del planeta. En nuestra opinión y sin considerarnos genios, nos inclinamos por lo segundo.

El tricolor se ha visto afectado por  el triunfalismo en la prensa deportiva, la cual se desbordó con comentarios acerca de los futbolistas, sus méritos y sus supuestas similitudes con grandes exponentes del soccer internacional. Así, empezaron a especular colectiva e individualmente si Felipe Caicedo, un grande de nuestro fútbol, era peor, igual o mejor que Ronaldo o Ibrahimovic; o si Ecuador era inferior o superior a Alemania. Toda esta presión mermó la débil fortaleza anímica de nuestros jugadores, quienes cayeron en el peor nivel de juego de toda la eliminatoria. Alemania aplastó a Ecuador en USA y empezó lo que podría ser el principio del fin.

A esto debemos sumar el sensible fallecimiento del buen jugador Cristian Benitez, cuota de gol importante de nuestro combinado.

Varios factores atentan contra la real posibilidad ecuatoriana de ir al mundial. Su cuerpo técnico es confuso, sin ideas puras de fútbol, renunciando a lo que hace fuerte a nuestros jugadores, imponiéndoles un estilo que no sienten, pero fundamentalmente, escogiendo mal el equipo para los últimos partidos eliminatorios. Nos atrevemos a decir que lo conseguido por Ecuador hasta hace tres fechas atrás, sólo fue por mérito de jugadores, quizás con una pequeña cuota de Rueda y "su plantel técnico".

Hoy, Luis Chiriboga echa la culpa de la situación actual del seleccionado ecuatoriano, al referato sudamericano. Escupe para arriba Chiriboga, pues en el torneo nacional maneja el arbitraje, el mismo que es ampliamente cuestionado y parcializado, creando dudas de la seriedad del gremio. Y se nos viene a la mente el proverbio del “conejo criticándole las orejas al burro”.

Siendo así la situación, y por el buen momento de Uruguay, sobre todo de sus delanteros, nos inclinamos por la celeste como el plantel favorito para asegurar el viernes, su cupo al mundial 2014.

Ecuador deberá cuidarse en el repechaje con el mal momento de la selección, ya que sin timonel técnico ni administrativo, podríamos ver el mundial de Brasil, sólo por TV.

[by Javier Velásquez Villacís]

Missing points: How Ecuador will find it tough to reach the World Cup

A few months ago it seemed almost certain that the Ecuador national soccer team would be at Brazil 2014. Two games later that is no longer the case. Where in the past 4 rounds of qualifiers dating back to 1998, points in Peru had been all but assured, this time was different. Zero points in June. And where every single match at the Atahualpa had yielded 3 points, Argentina stole 2 away.

So now the team is 5 points away from the World Cup. Right now they would have 26 points and would be one win away from the tournament. As it stands now, a win at Bolivia next week and a win at home versus Uruguay in the last home game is required to enter the tournament.

Chile is likely to surpass Ecuador today as they face Venezuela at home. "La Roja" is particularly dangerous with players like Alexis Sanchez and Humberto Suazo while Venezuela, an upstart in recent years, is likely not strong enough to steal points away in Santiago. With a win by the Chileans, Ecuador will go down to fourth place. 

Further complicating things is Uruguay. Luis Suarez returns to the squad and they can certainly take all 3 points away from Peru today. A game versus Colombia might also yield points and a total of 6 points will put them ahead of Ecuador by Tuesday if the Ecuadorians are unable to get any of the 6 or even 1 point in the next two games. Same would happen if Venezuela wins 6 points.

Let's be clear. Bolivia are out already, even if the highly-unlikely situation in which they win their next four games. Peru, at 14, has a better chance but still would need a serious run for all 12 points. It becomes a matter of mathematics at this point if Ecuador do not win any points in the next couple of games. A win versus Uruguay in October would be a must and even that might not be enough if the "Charruas" win all six points this week and still have another game in hand.

So what does Ecuador have to make this happen? Some pride and good quality for sure. Felipe Caicedo is on board, as is Valencia, Rojas, Mina, Montero and Walter Ayovi. How Reinaldo Rueda will line up his squad and defensive/offensive posture is up in the air. Ball possession has been key but early game management has haunted this team of late. 

The absence of Chucho Benitez is key now. The recent, painful loss of the Ecuador ace could also be used as a way to rile up the national team. To play for their fallen comrade. To make it to the tournament in his honor after he gave so much to the country and the team. So, play for him, Ecuador. Play for love.

No Rueda: Ecuador struggles in the Copa America

Photo credit: AP

This is supposed to be the new Ecuador. A mix of young talent and the old vanguard. Speed and experience. But they have fallen short. Again. There's a saying in Ecuador: "jugamos como nunca pero perdimos como simpre." Which means "we played our best but lost like always." It's a stigma from the days before the 2002 World Cup qualification. A soccer nation with potential but disappointment. Should it still be like this?

Today's loss to Venezuela was more of the same. Lack of finishing touch, lax defense and missing players, most notably Antonio Valencia. The Manchester United stalwart was injured in the 0-0 tie with Paraguay and couldn't take part in today's match. But there are a few interesting names left off this team completely: Jefferson Montero, Fernando Guerrero and Joffre Guerron. These are young players, yes, but they play for important teams and are capable of special things with the ball at their feet. It's difficult to watch a match in which Christian Benitez has to come back for the ball and where Walter Ayovi has to play defense and be the creative force behind the team.

There is a certain new paternity that Venezuela has on Ecuador. Venezuela? Really? Yes. Twice they beat Ecuador in the 2010 qualifiers. Just one of those matches cost the qualification as Ecuador was behind Uruguay by just a solitary point at the end.

So is Reinaldo Rueda to blame? Ecuafutbol? The players? Possibly the first two. This is a talented squad that only needs a little nudging in the right direction to reclaim its place in the top five of South America. But right now the ball isn't rolling. And that's what Reinaldo Rueda's last name means: rolling. Can Ecuador beat Brazil? The Cariocas have tied twice already in this tournament. I find it hard to believe they will do so again. Until then, Ecuadorians will keep dreaming about the magic of 2002 and 2006 with no clear way forward. Not yet.