| Outright Odds: 300/1 Group A Winners: 9/1 | | | | Potentially, they could be a tough team to |
| | | | break down in defence. Captain Ivan Hurtado, |
| Ecuador qualified for their second World Cup | | | | a 31-year old veteran with nearly 130 caps to |
| finals in succession on the back of a | | | | his name is partnered by Giovany Espinoza who |
| remarkable home record which included | | | | was the only player in South America to play |
| victories over both Brazil and Argentina. So | | | | in all 18 qualifying matches. For all this |
| should punters rush out and lump on the huge | | | | experience, the defence can be caught flat |
| 3001/ (Bet365) odds available for the largest | | | | and, if Espinoza is taken out of the |
| upset in World Cup history? In short, no. | | | | reckoning, is all over the place when high |
| | | | balls are played in the box. They are also |
| Ecuador qualified with one of the most | | | | weak in terms of goalkeeping. |
| lopsided qualifying record of any team | | | | |
| competing in Germany this summer. Quito, the | | | | Ecuador have moved away from the |
| country's capital, stands 2,850 metres above | | | | short-passing through the middle which has |
| sea level and assisted by the thin air, | | | | categorised their game in favour of striking |
| Ecuador were almost unstoppable at home. They | | | | quickly down the wings. In Edison Mendez, who |
| won seven out nine home games, including | | | | scored the winning goal against Croatia and |
| victories against the South American giants | | | | five goals in qualifying, they have a player |
| with the other two results goalless draws | | | | who can cause problems. There are also high |
| against Peru and Uruguay. | | | | hopes surrounding Luis Antonio Valencia, 20, |
| | | | who chipped in with another three. |
| Away from home it was an entirely different | | | | |
| story. Five defeats, two draws and one | | | | Former Southampton flop Augustin Delgado is |
| victory in the equally high altitude of | | | | Ecuador's main focal point in attack. He |
| Bolivia was perhaps a more realistic measure | | | | netted five times in qualifying and scored |
| of their capabilities but overall they sealed | | | | his country's first ever World Cup goal, |
| third place in the group. | | | | taking the lead after five minutes against |
| | | | Mexico in a match they eventually lost 2-1. |
| Ecuador will have to improve on their travels | | | | |
| if they want to avoid humiliation in Germany. | | | | Ecuador's lack of experience in Europe could |
| Their stint in the 2002 World Cup was their | | | | prove to be their downfall as they have only |
| first but they have the victory over the | | | | played three full internationals on the |
| third-placed team of 1998, Croatia, to draw | | | | continent and they looked completely overawed |
| inspiration from. | | | | when playing Italy four years ago. They will |
| | | | do well not to finish bottom of the group. |