Two sides with underwhelming recent Copa America records face off at the Estadio Elias Figueroa Brander on Monday night, as Bolivia look to pick up a rare win against Ecuador.

El Verde kicked their tournament off with a well-earned point against Mexico, while their opponents are yet to get off the mark after falling to hosts Chile in their opener.

Ecuador

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The Copa America and Ecuador just do not go well together. Having failed to progress beyond the group stage since 1997, the year they recorded their best-ever finish at the competition by reaching the last eight, it has been many years of pain for La Tricolor.

In fact, they last recorded a win in the South American bonanza back in 2001, with a 2-0 defeat against hosts Chile in the opening game seeing that abject run stretch a little further.

Whichever way you look at it, things do not appear to be all that great for Ecuador's overall hopes, and yet they still boast a decent side capable of picking off even the best teams.

Boasting Premier League quality in the likes of Watford's Juan Carlos Paredes, Swansea City winger Jefferson Montero and West Ham United striker Enner Valencia, this is a side built for counter-attacking football.

Ecuador last year became the only South American outfit to fail to get beyond the World Cup group stages across the last two tournaments, narrowly missing out on progression which spelt the end of manager Reinaldo Rueda's reign.

In came Gustavo Quinteros, who has overseen three wins in nine games since last summer's World Cup finals. The first of those outings was a 4-0 victory over relative minnows Bolivia, which offers plenty of encouragement heading into Monday's fixture.

It has been over two years since the Amarillos last won back-to-back games of any sort, however, a run which will extend by another week or so at least due to that opening-game defeat at the Estadio Nacional.

Even at this stage, anything less than a victory against Bolivia could very well spell the end of Ecuador's campaign for another four years. Victory, on the other hand, and they will have their eyes firmly set on securing a top-two spot in Group A.

Recent form: WLLDWL

Bolivia

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A 0-0 draw in their opening game against an understrength Mexico side, whose thoughts are currently elsewhere ahead of the upcoming Gold Cup, offers Bolivia just a glimmer of hope ahead of their meetings against Ecuador and Chile.

Not since 1997 have El Verde won a game in the Copa America, and even then that came on home soil when they hosted the competition.

That year they finished as runners-up, while their best finish before or since then came in 1963 when they lifted the famous trophy - again on home soil.

It is widely suggested, fairly if results are anything to go by, that Bolivia's only real strength comes when they play games in La Paz, which is situated 3,600 metres above sea level.

That goes a long way to explaining their poor record in this quadrennial event, but even their 'advantage' appears to have evaporated in recent times, having won just one of their last 17 games overall.

Worryingly, Bolivia headed into the tournament in a rather unsettled fashion, with Mauricio Soria their third manager in the last four games. Couple that with the fact that Argentina smashed five unanswered goals past them in the final warm-up match for the tournament, and you get the impression that they are perhaps making up the numbers.

However, after holding out for a point against Mexico earlier this week, Bolivia actually find themselves occupying third place in Group A.

A similar result on Monday evening will keep them on course for a spot in the knockout rounds, even if it means their winless Copa America run stretching well into an 18th year.

Recent form: LLDWLD

Team News

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Ecuador named all three of their Premier League contingent - Paredes, Valencia and Montero - in Friday's starting lineup against Chile, with each likely to be given the nod once again against Bolivia.

Renato Ibarra could be welcomed back into the fold in place of Osbaldo Lastra, whom he replaced in that 2-0 reverse, but otherwise Quinteros is likely to name an unchanged side.

In terms of El Verde, Soria may also opt to keep things the same following on from their opening-game point against Mexico.

Pablo Escobar was introduced from the bench in that match, but he may be forced to settle for a place among the substitutes once again.

Ecuador possible starting lineup:
Dominguez, Paredes, Achillier, Erazo, Ayovi, Noboa, Ibarra, Martinez, Bolanos, Montero, Valencia

Bolivia possible starting lineup:
Quinonez, Hurtado, Raldes, Zenteno, Morales, Bejarano, Chumacero, Smedberg, Campos, Moreno, Pedriel

Head To Head

These two sides have faced off 10 times since the turn of the millennium, with La Tricolor dominating things overall.

Just once, a 1-1 draw in qualification for the 2014 World Cup, have Ecuador failed to pick up victory against their opponents.

The last meeting back in September finished in a 4-0 friendly defeat for Bolivia, who finished eighth out of nine in the most recent World Cup qualification standings.

We say: Ecuador 2-0 Bolivia

Bolivia got their Copa America campaign off to the better start just about, but normal service of sorts should be resumed on Monday night as Ecuador attempt to bolster their hopes of progressing.

Written by
Daniel Lewis

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