Ecuador beats Poland, 2-0 in Group A

Friday, June 9, 2006

A strong defensive display and two well taken goals saw Ecuador beat Poland in the second Group A match at the soccer World Cup.

The thousands of Polish fans who had traveled to the Veltins-Arena stadium in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, saw their team struggle to put together attacking plays.

Ecuador, whose captain and defender Ivan Hurtado was taken off injured on 67 minutes, scored a goal in the first half and one ten minutes from the end for a 2-0 victory.

The first twenty minutes was cagey with both sides unable to find form; there was not one chance on goal for the first twenty minutes.

When one did come it was Ecuador who capitalised: a throw-in from the right into the penalty area was flicked on for Carlos Tenario to nod passed the outstretched fingers of Artur Boruc into the far corner of the Polish net.

While first half-possession was equal for both sides Poland dominated the second period as Ecuador sat back on their lead, content to hit on the break.

Poland continued their early form of choosing the wrong pass and many times lost the ball in the third of the pitch nearest the opposition goal.

Ecuador scored a second ten minutes from time; in a rare attack near the Polish goal the ball was threaded by Polish defenders leaving a two on one with a stranded Boruc.

Agustin Delgardo didn't miss from ten yards.

The Polish game never got going for manager Pawel Janas until the last five minutes when they hit the horizontal and then the vertical whitework of Christian Mora's goal.

Much of the credit for the performance of Luis Suarez's Ecuador side must be put at the feet of their defenders, particularly Giovanny Espinoza and Ivan Hurtado.

He will be hoping his defensive leader recovers for the next game against Costa Rica while Poland must contend with a German side who won their first game of the World Cup, Friday.