Enner Valencia has scored Ecuador’s final six World Cup objectives, so there’s no understating how fearful his nation is after he was carried off the sector on a stretcher in opposition to the Netherlands.
Ecuador hopes that the 33-year-old striker’s troublesome knees are OK for a decisive remaining group match in opposition to Senegal on Tuesday. He damage his proper knee in opposition to the Netherlands after spraining his left knee within the first sport in opposition to Qatar.
He was up and strolling a short while after that stretcher journey with an ice pack strapped to his proper leg and coach Gustavo Alfaro stated Monday that Valencia may be prepared to start out in opposition to Senegal, though he may have to return off the bench.
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“He has an enormous coronary heart and he needs to be in each battle with our nationwide group,” Alfaro stated. “He needs to be there. He’s a rare participant and we’ll attempt to get him prepared.”
Ecuador’s captain has three objectives in two video games in Qatar and is clearly key to its probabilities of reaching the knockout stage for under the second time. He scored three in three video games in Ecuador’s final World Cup look in 2014, however that wasn’t sufficient to advance in Brazil.
La Tri have a slight benefit this time by needing a win or a draw to make certain of going by. Senegal has to win to make sure of advancing.
A victory by host Qatar over the Netherlands would make different permutations doable in Group A however that result’s seen as unlikely given the Qataris’ struggles. They’ve already been eradicated.
A protracted keep on the World Cup would put extra pressure on Valencia’s knees and an ongoing ankle drawback however he’d take the ache for some World Cup pleasure after 10 years of service to the nationwide group.
The younger Ecuador group beat Qatar 2-0 within the event’s opening sport after which stretched the favored Netherlands in a 1-1 draw. The performances had been each spectacular however could also be forgotten if Ecuador doesn’t comply with them up by sealing qualification.
“There’s such a skinny line between qualifying and never,” Alfaro stated. “If we don’t qualify folks will say we haven’t accomplished our job and if we do, folks will probably be euphoric. Hopefully we are going to undergo as a result of we deserve it.”
Whereas Ecuador holds out hope for Valencia’s health, Senegal is already two video games into life with out its finest participant.
Sadio Mane’s damage simply two weeks earlier than the World Cup compelled the African champions to reconfigure their ahead line and their total sport plan.
It was nonetheless a piece in progress in a gap 2-0 loss to Netherlands however Senegal got here nearer to completely adjusting to Mane’s absence when forwards Boulaye Dia, Famara Diedhiou and Bamba Dieng all scored in a 3-1 win over Qatar to revive Senegal’s possibilities.
Senegal, ranked No. 18 on this planet and contemporary from successful the African Cup of Nations title in February, would usually be the clear favourite over the inexperienced No. 44 Ecuador, even with Valencia’s extraordinary run of scoring in 4 of his nation’s final 5 World Cup video games.
It’s by no means so easy at a World Cup and positively not at this one after third-ranked Argentina misplaced to Saudi Arabia and second-ranked Belgium fell to Morocco.
Senegal has the added stress of the final World Cup in 2018. Then, the group missed out on a spot within the final 16 after dropping to Colombia, one other South American group, within the remaining set of group video games when a draw would have been sufficient. Senegal completed stage on factors with Japan however was eradicated as a result of it had extra yellow playing cards.
“We’re coping with the stress and the stress. For me, it’s an excellent stress,” Senegal coach Aliou Cisse stated. “We’re not going to overthink it. There are not any two methods about it, we’ve got to win the sport to advance.”