Ecuador beat Honduras 2-1
Curitiba June 21 BBC .... Enner Valencia scored both goals as Ecuador
left Honduras on the verge of exiting the Fifa 2014 World Cup.
Carlo Costly latched onto a long ball and lashed in a low 20-yard
shot to put Honduras ahead on 31 minutes.
Ecuador quickly equalised when a deflected cross fell for Valencia to
slot home, and he then nodded in at the far post to give his side the
lead.
Honduras pressed for an equaliser but a goal eluded them and they
have now lost both of their first two group games.
Honduras have yet to win in eight World Cup matches and, even if they
beat Switzerland in their final group game, are not certain to reach the
next round because of their goal difference.
Ecuador will meet France in their final group game and, if
Switzerland beat or draw against Honduras, they need to match that
result to reach the last 16.
Reinaldo Rueda's side knew defeat against Honduras would knock them
out, and they should have taken an early lead.
A long ball from centre-back Jorge Guagua released Valencia, but he
side-footed over the crossbar.
Honduras defender Victor Bernardez headed wide when unmarked before
setting up his side's opening goal as his long clearance set Costly free
to net emphatically.
The goal was Honduras' first at a World Cup since 1982, but their
lead did not last long.
Valencia slotted in an equaliser from close range after a Juan
Paredes shot was deflected into his path. Honduras were showing they had
more to them than the aggressive style they have become renowned for,
and Bernardez had a long-range free-kick palmed away by keeper Alexander
Dominguez.
They then thought they had restored their lead but, when Jerry
Bengtson bundled home after a Costly header came off the post, the
referee disallowed the goal for handball.
Rueda's side heeded the warning, and forward Felipe Caicedo looked to
be caught by Maynor Figueroa on his way to goal, although the referee
rejected Ecuador's penalty appeals.
However, Valencia nodded in at the far post following a Walter Ayovi
free-kick to settle the game with his seventh goal in six
internationals. |