Hello and welcome to Truth Live News’ live coverage of the Netherlands versus Ecuador in Group A.
Both the Dutch and the Ecuadorians are unbeaten in Group A, having won their opening games by two goals to nil against Senegal and Qatar, respectively.
ECUADOR SUBS: Moises Ramirez, Alexander Dominguez, Robert Arboleda, Jose Cifuentes, William Pacho, Carlos Gruezo, Ayrton Preciado, Romario Ibarra, Xavier Arreaga, Angel Mena, Jeremy Sarmiento, Diego Palacios, Alan Franco, Djorkaeff Reasco, Kevin Rodriguez.
ECUADOR (5-4-1): Hernan Galindez; Angelo Preciado, Jackson Porozo, Felix Torres, Piero Hincapie, Pervis Estupinan; Gonzalo Plata, Jhegson Mendez, Moises Caicedo, Enner Valencia; Michael Estrada.
NETHERLANDS SUBS: Remko Pasveer, Justin Bijlow, Matthijs de Ligt, Stefan de Vrij, Luuk de Jong, Memphis Depay, Steven Berghuis, Noa Lang, Marten de Roon, Tyrell Malacia, Vincent Janssen, Wout Weghorst, Kenneth Taylor, Xavi Simons, Jeremie Frimpong.
NETHERLANDS (3-4-1-2): Andries Noppert; Jurrien Timber, Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Ake; Denzel Dumfries, Teun Koopmeiners, Frenkie de Jong, Daley Blind; Davy Klaassen; Cody Gakpo, Steven Bergwijn.
1′ Estrada kicks the game off for Ecuador, and we’re underway in Al Rayyan!
6′ GOOOOOAAAALLL!!!! What an early strike that is!!! Klaassen does well to rein in a deflected pass, before feeding Gakpo. He takes one step to the left before shooting with his left foot, and rifling the ball straight into the top corner! That’s his second of the tournament, and what a way to get it as he puts the Oranje 1-0 up!
28′ CHANCE!!! Valencia glides into the box and evades Timber before squaring to Estrada. He mis-hits his shot and the ball skews wide, with Preciado picking up the pieces to win his side a corner!
32′ SAVED!!! Ecuador counter and the ball is floated wide to Valencia on the left. He cuts inside and lets fly from the edge of the area, which is tipped behind well by Noppert at his near post!
45′ + 2′ BLOCKED!!! Estupinan’s cross is aimed towards Valencia, but the captain’s header bounces off Ake and goes behind for a corner!
45′ + 3′ BALL IN THE NET BUT OFFSIDE!!! Ecuador look to have equalised, but the flag is up.
45′ + 4′ HALF-TIME: NETHERLANDS 1-0 ECUADOR.
SECOND HALF UNDERWAY: The two sides return for the second half, and after being denied late on in the first, can Ecuador find an equaliser here?
46′ The Netherlands make one half-time change, with Bergwijn replaced by Memphis Depay up front.
47′ Depay’s first touch is to kick the second half off, and we’re back underway in this Group A game!
49′ GOOOOAAAALLLL!!!! And this time it WILL count!!! Estupinan is found in open space down the left and drills a low shot from the edge of the box. He gets down well and parries it, but Valencia is on hand to stab the ball into back of the net to make it 1-1!
59′ OFF THE BAR!!! What a chance for Ecuador!!! Preciado’s cross for Valencia is fired goalwards, but Van Dijk gets in the way. Plata follows in to smash it back in, and the ball cannons off the bar and out again
73′ WIDE!!! Depay’s flick puts Gakpo through on goal, and the goalscorer chips Galindez. The ball looks to be creeping into the next, but bounces wide of the far post as the flag goes up!
87′ Valencia is down inside the centre circle, clutching his knee, and every Ecuadorian fan is holding their breath for their captain as play eventually comes to a stop for him to be treated.
90′ Valencia is taken off via stretcher, with Kevin Rodríguez sent on to replace the Ecuador talisman.
90′ + 1′ CHANCE!!! Ecuador go close once more!! Noppert takes too long to clear the ball and his kick is charged down by Rodriguez, and the deflection nearly sends the ball into the unguarded net!
90′ + 6′ FULL-TIME: NETHERLANDS 1-1 ECUADOR. It ends as a draw.