A “wall” in defense and an “ineffective” attack: Ecuadorian journalists analyze their team

The data is specific: Peru does not lose to Ecuador in official matches since 2011; and in Lima, since 2009. A streak of four wins and two draws. But each game is different and the contexts are too. This Ecuador, for example, is not the same as in 2017, which came in free fall with three losses in a row and allowed us a historic victory in Quito. Nor is it the irregular team of last year that suffered its second loss in a row at home against ours. Thats why he match this Tuesday at the National Stadium (9 pm), against a northern team that has not lost for four dates and is third in the table of the playoffsIt is worth more than three points.

“We know that we are facing a rival that is well positioned, that comes from playing a good role against Brazil and everything is at stake. I feel like we’re prepared for this.”, analyzed Ricardo Gareca on Ecuador at the end of Colombia (0-1) Peru. The ‘Tiger’ is one game away from being the only coach of the national team to achieve four wins in a row. “It will be a psychological game. The advantage that Peru has is the time that Ricardo Gareca has been working with his players. They are clear about how they play, in the job they have”, answered Gustavo Alfaro, coach of the ‘Tri’.

The cards are laid out on the table. La Blanquirroja will not be able to count on christian cave, perhaps the best player, by accumulation of cards. The visitors will not have Alexander Domínguez, Enner Valencia or Ángel Mena. But beyond their casualties, how do they get there? What is your strong point and the weaknesses that Peru can take advantage of? Four Ecuadorian journalists analyze for DT Trade to your selected.

The defense, a wall under construction

After the expulsion of Alexander Domínguez, after the blow he gave to Brazilian striker Matheus Cunha in Ecuador (1-1) Brazil, Hernan Galindez will be in charge of stopping. 34-year-old goalkeeper, captain of the U. Católica of his country, and with eight games with his team since his debut in 2021 against Peru for the Copa América. “He has been doing things very well in the national team and is practically at the same level as Domínguez”, ahead of us Gabriela Alcivar, journalist of “The soccer channel”.

“On the bow it doesn’t differ much. Domínguez is more spectacular, but Galíndez gives the security of being a goalkeeper. He doesn’t go out much, he doesn’t have major problems there “, describes it John Lester, northern press man. The virtue of Hernán, of not going out much, was the deficit of Domínguez, who for going to cut off an attack ended up being expelled last day.

“The center-backs don’t come leaving as many doubts as at the start of the Qualifiers”, says Carlos Arguello, Ecuadorian journalist. “That’s where Ecuador has gained more confidence in the last half, in the defensive block, and I’m not referring to getting behind but to a very well constituted team, with Félix Torres and Piero Hincapié as central defenders, going to anticipate, very firm in hand to hand and open field”, he adds.

“The central couple has been immovable for several games. Felix with Piero are really a wall. They have performed very well, they have a good ball take and also good advances”adds Alcivar.

Gianluca Lapadula They will face two young central defenders, fast and capable of anticipation. Although with the risk that this generates and the fact of advancing the lines. Against Brazil, for example, Domínguez’s expulsion was the product of a pass behind the backs of the two defenders.

The wings are perhaps the weak point of the Ecuadorian defense. “Especially when the rival activates his back”says Arguello. Ayrton Preciado on the right and Pervis Estupiñán on the left. Although the latter, one of the ones that Gustavo Alfaro used the most at his hand, usually goes on the attack a lot. On that band will be André Carrillo and Luis Advíncula, two fast players who could take advantage of the space left by the left-hander.

Solid midfield

“Carlos Gruezo, very close to the line of four, is the balance”, says Gabryel Pachecho about the Augsburg Bundesliga footballer who has not been regularly at his club (he has only played seven games so far in the 2021-22 season), but “He performs in the national team because he is a very sober player, a net 5 who goes very well to the ball, recovers well”adds Gabriela Alcivar.

“The central midfielders are Moisés Caicedo and Carlos Gruezo, those are permanent. There the technician Gustavo Alfaro feels all the responsibility of the first line. Gruezo came out against Brazil and kept Caicedo until the end. That couple is the defensive bra., says John Lester.

“Moisés Caicedo breaks free, reaches the rival field and connects from all sides. The team is doing very well there.”says Carlos Arguello. The midfield of Peru, surely with Renato Tapia, Yoshimar Yotún and Sergio Peña, will have to push themselves to the maximum to contain and find the spaces to pass that solid line that the visiting team will propose.

“When Ecuador goes as a visitor many times the coach puts Alan Franco, who is a central midfielder, on the right. Build a 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1. The other day he put it as an interior, in a 4-5-1. The problem is that since they expelled Alexander Domínguez quickly, they took him out “adds Arguello.

Definition problems

“The positive side is that this is a team. The defenders have scored and the midfielders too”, dice Lester. “Ecuador’s collective level is interesting, but it lacks definition. The team has thrashed Uruguay (4-2) and Colombia (6-1) in Quito and there the goals in favor increased, but not because of their forwards”, Add. In those two games, in which the ‘Tri’ scored ten goals, Estrada was the only striker to score: three times.

“The weakness is that of the number 9. Estrada is Ecuador’s scorer, but he is a player who needs several situations to score one. One of the big problems is that it has not been possible to find a 9 that resembles the great Agustín Delgado Chalá. Enner Valencia is the scorer, but he is not 9 and he has not been scoring in Qualifiers”Pacheco says.

“Ecuador’s main problem in this phase of attack is the definition. Estrada is not doing well at his club, Enner Valencia played a poor game and is also suspended”adds Arguello.

The strength of the northern team is on the wings, especially with Gonzalo Silver, a 21-year-old winger from Real Valladolid in Spain who is the closest thing to André Carrillo at stake. “It is very unbalanced, with a lot of dribbling, dribbling”, lo describe Gabriel Alcivar.

“The man of the match against Brazil was Gonzalo Plata with his dribbles, but he doesn’t have a definition either. He has scored a couple of goals inside the area due to his ability to uncheck “, adds Lester, making clear the winger’s deficit.

Silver is normally located on the right. That is the zone of Marcos López or Miguel Trauco, the zone in which Ricardo Gareca will have to look for the replacement of Christian Cueva thinking about how to attack but also to redouble the mark against the Ecuadorian.