Ecuador came from behind to beat Honduras 2-1 in World Cup Group E on Friday night, with Enner Valencia adding a further two goals to his tally.
In a fairly even opening half, Honduras took the lead from a long ball as Carlo Costly took advantage of a Jorge Guagua mistake to slam in a low finish.
Valencia equalised with a far-post poked effort just two minutes later, before heading the winning goal after the break to put his side right back in contention in the group.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Hello World Cup fans. Fancy more after that goal-fest just now? I do, and hopefully Honduras and Ecuador can provide it, seeing as both teams are in desperate need of a win to get themselves back in contention in Group E.
We have already seen a Central American side upset the odds today with Costa Rica defeating Italy to qualify for the second round. Honduras will want to follow them with a win of their own and although Ecuador's performance against the Swiss did not deserve to end in defeat, they could well achieve it.
We have the team news in, so let's take a look shall we? Remember Honduras coach Luis Fernando Suarez promised changes to his lineup...
HONDURAS XI: Valladares; Figueroa, Bernardez, Izaguirre, Bengtson, Costly, Garcia, Espinoza, Garrido, Claros, Beckeles
ECUADOR XI: Dominguez; Paredes, Guagua, Erazo, Ayovi; Noboa, Minda, A.Valencia, Montero; Caicedo, E.Valencia
So there's no Honduras captain Wilson Palacios because, well, because of his dirty tactics against France basically. He was shown a second yellow, so will sit out this one. There doesn't appear to be a great deal of quality in that lineup, and certainly Ecuador are strongest on paper. But as we all know, the World Cup isn't played on paper.
Honduras had just 29% possession against France, which was the lowest of all the teams in the opening round of games. They may have a bit more against Ecuador, but it is a big ask for them to take control of the game. There is an excellent atmosphere in Curitiba, with both sets of fans well up for this one.
For all Suarez's promises of changes, he has made just two to his lineup. The enforced change for the aforementioned suspension of Palacios is one, with Boniek Garcia coming into the team instead. Jorge Claros also comes into the midfield to replace Osman Chaves.
SUBS:
Honduras: Lopez, Chavez, Montes, Garcia, Palacios, Chaves, Delgado, Martinez, Najar, Escober, Martinez
Ecuador: Banguera, Ibarra, Mendez, Rojas, Bone, Arroyo, Ayovi, Bagui, Saritama, Martinez, Achilier, Gruezo
There has been just the one change made by Ecuador coach Reinaldo Rueda. Oswaldo Minda comes into the side for young Carlos Gruezo, who actually played well against the Swiss. The coach has obviously gone for a bit more experience in what is a crucial game for his side. Gruezo did not look to be affected by confidence, however.
Up front for Ecuador is Enner Valencia, who was very impressive against Switzerland, and Felipe Caicedo, who was somewhat less so. Against a physical Honduran outfit, this could be more the sort of game that Caicedo will thrive in, however. Antonio Valencia was also fairly quiet, but the captain does not usually have two bad games running for his country.
Up front for Honduras is possibly the best named player at this World Cup, Carlo Costly. He has a strike rate for his country nearly as impressive as his name, as well, with 31 goals in 70 caps. His team will certainly be looking to him to impress if they are to get anything out of this game.
ESPN's Soccer Power Index likes Ecuador in the last game of the day on ESPN. #WorldCup #HONvsECU pic.twitter.com/gPpd27ZkzL
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 20, 2014
It has been a real festival of goals so far, with eight today in just two games. Alright, seven of those were in the France win over Switzerland, but there is no reason why we shouldn't see more here. The players are in the tunnel and about ready to come out.
I was very impressed with Ecuador's Walter Ayovi against Switzerland. In the first half he managed to mark Xherdan Shaqiri out of the game, yet also provided the assist for E. Valencia with a whipped free kick from the left. He also has a strong frame, which could prove crucial against Honduras here. Time for the national anthems.
Honduras's is an odd one, it has to be said. The words do not seem to fit the tune. Really good effort from their players belting it out, however. Ecuador's does not kick in for a while, but the players look incredibly focused. Rueda will certainly not have pulled any punches getting across how vital this game is.
KICKOFF: So Ecuador get us underway for this big clash in Group E. Ecuador are the strong favourites, but as Costa Rica proved earlier today anything at all can happen.
Straight away there's a crunching tackle from Honduras and I think Costly. Early free kick for Ecuador, but almost on the half-way line.
Both teams feeling each other out in the opening exchanges, although Ecuador are seeing a touch more of the ball. There are plenty of gaps in midfield to be exploited already.
Chance there for Ecuador, with Montero doing well to drive down the left. In the middle are Caicedo and Valencia, but it was well defended in the end. Honduras also have a half-chance, as Costly does well on the right to cross, but with just one to aim at it goes slightly ahead of Bengtson and is saved by Dominguez.
BOOKING: That didn't take long, did it? Victor Bernardez rips through the back of Montero as the winger tried to turn, and now Ecuador have a decent chance with a free kick.
Ecuador are now firmly camped in the Honduras half, although they have not really created many real chances as yet. The men in white do look to break when they have the chance, with the outlet of choice early on the long ball into space ahead of the front two. They haven't had a great deal of success with it thus far.
Good play from E Valencia there, who dropped deep with a nice touch before finding Montero to his left. In the end Ecuador are closed down well and are forced back. Ayovi this time gets forward and attempts a cross, but it's deflected and falls comfortably for Valladares in the Honduran goal.
SHOT! Costly tries to take things into his own hands with a shot from some 35 yards. Dominguez was briefly troubled, but really the left-footed effort was not curling enough to trouble him and it goes comfortably wide. Crunching tackle then from Costly on Guagua, which was unnecessary on the byline. He's also chewing a blue bit of plastic, which is strange. I'm not quite sure what it is, hopefully not any French bones from the last game.
Izaguirre almost sets Costly away there with a thumped long ball from left-back, but it skidded just beyond the striker as he broke the offside trap. It's Figueroa's turn to make a tackle, and his on E Valencia on the right is a good one, and fair amazingly.
CHANCE! Oh my! What a chance that is for E Valencia. Izaguirre plays the striker on side from a pass over the top, and with the goal gaping the Ecuadorian puts his shot wide when he really should have scored. He went for power and got it wrong.
Honduras are defending horribly at the moment, and Ecuador have racked up three consecutive corners here. Will the pressure tell, or will the men in white escape? Plenty of tackles are still flying in as well, from both teams.
Honduras manage to get it clear and then begin a good spell of pressing, to keep the danger away. Ecuador manage to work a half-chance for Paredes to cross, but it was well read by Valladares, who came out and held on well. Many keepers have punched from crosses like that so far, but he showed good hands there.
Really good chance there for Ecuador to set up a shot at goal. Caicedo drove forward and with Valencia just to his right Figueroa stepped in to intercept. Good from the Hull City man, but his side are being far too sloppy in the middle and keep giving it away. At the other end a shot from Espinoza is blocked for a corner.
CHANCE! That must go down as a big chance! From the corner Bernardez is left in about five yards of space, but his diving header goes wide. With the amount of space he had, that can only be described as a miss. He has defended horribly so far, but might have just put his team in front.
GOAL! Honduras 1-0 Ecuador (Carlo Costly)
There hasn't been a whole lot of technical quality so far, particularly from Honduras, but they're ahead. It's - excuse me - a costly error from Guagua, who completely misjudged a long ball, and succeeds only in touching the ball on to Costly, who drives through and makes no mistake with a powerful finish. It's their first World Cup goal since 1982 and for them well worth waiting for. We have a game on now!
GOAL! Honduras 1-1 Ecuador (Enner Valencia)
Honduras's joy is short-lived! It's a really fortunate goal for Ecuador, with Parades's cross-shot across goal deflected into the path of Valencia at the far post, who stabs it into the net before it can go out of play. Huge goal for the South Americans and the Hondurans have been silenced in the stands.
In truth Ecuador did not deserve to be losing, as they were hardly threatened until the goal. But, that said, they had not created enough to be leading. Their goal might well spur them into attacking action, with Montero somewhat disappointing on the left side so far.
Paredes is off the field receiving treatment for a knock he just picked up in a clash. Ayovi pings a long ball up to E Valencia, who does really well to win the header and keep possession. Ecuador cannot work a chance, though, as Figueroa once more times a tackle really well to win it back.
So many fouls from Honduras so far, and there's another as Izaguirre is done by a dummy from Paredes and brings down his man. Ayovi can fizz this one in from the right with his wicket left boot.
He goes for goal and it's headed away by Figueroa for a corner. Ayovi's brilliant delivery is flicked on at the near post by Noboa, but goes just over the head of Caicedo at the far post. Costly is down in the clash with Caicedo and receiving treatment.
SAVE! As two minutes of time are added on, Bernardez stands over a 30-yard free kick. He catches it really well with plenty of power, but it was just too central and Dominguez manages to push it away and around the post.
GOAL DISALLOWED! Honduras think they have a second! Beckeles whips in a great cross, which Costly heads against the post. It came out to Bengtson, who firstly is offside and secondly handballed the rebound in... He complains and is booked. Rightly.
HALF-TIME: Honduras 1-1 Ecuador
Well that was a much more entertaining half than was expected, and for different reasons that we have seen so far. Honduras have once more tried to kick lumps out of their opponents, and Ecuador have held firm to their footballing beliefs. A great game so far.
Honduras seemed happy to camp in their own half and wait for a chance to break. Costly was frequently the furthest man forward and it was from one of the numerous long balls that they took the lead. Guagua completely misread it, which allowed Costly through to hammer a low finish. It was their first World Cup goal since 1982, and he is only the third Honduras player to score on the biggest stage.
The equaliser was scrappy and came about from some static defending from Honduras. They stood still as Paredes's cross-shot was deflected to the back post, where Valencia prodded in for his second goal in the group. This one is really nicely poised.
Honduras get things back underway. There has been a change at the break, with Juan Carlos Garcia coming on for Izaguirre for Honduras.
It has been a decent start to the half from Honduras, who have seen plenty of the ball early on. Ecuador get their first spell of possession, though, and Bernardez is too strong on E Valencia down the left, which allows Ayovi a good position to curl the ball in.
Montero is being double-teamed whenever he gets the ball, which has been effective on him so far. He has not really been in the game and it left Noboa with nowhere to go just then, so instead he shot harmlessly wide from around 30 yards.
Montero almost gets in for about the first time, but Beckeles shows good pace to keep up with his man and concede a corner. Ecuador are just starting to up the pressure a little bit as Honduras begin to look a little ragged again.
There's no such thing as dropping off your man to keep shape for Honduras. They're straight in for the sliding tackle every time. In fairness, they have been timed better than against France, but should they miss one or two tackles they could really be left wide open at the back.
BOOKING: A Valencia goes into the book for clipping Garrido in the middle of the park. It's not only Honduras who attempt risky tackles, then. Meanwhile, Cacedo almost gets in behind and Figueroa almost brings him down with a sliding tackle - had he gone down, it might well have been a penalty as Figueroa did not touch the ball. It's only a corner.
SAVE! decent stop there from Dominguez in the Ecuador goal. Bengtson's shot takes a nick off Erazo and is heading for the near post, but the keeper is down well to push it wide. From the corner Claros slashes a shot wide.
CHANCE! Erazo might think he could have done better there. A corner is played short to Paredes, and the centre-back is completely unmarked in the middle, but he had mistimed his jump and ended up heading it over the bar from around 10 yards.
CHANCE! Guagua should just shoot there! Paredes whips in a deep cross and Guagua meets it completely unmarked. He decides to nod it across into the six-yard box, though, and it's hacked clear.
GOAL! Honduras 1-2 Ecuador (Enner Valencia)
Another fantastic delivery from Ayovi! He really has a fantastic left foot, and that's basically a carbon copy of their goal against Switzerland. The striker is unmarked at the far post to nod the ball in down low, and Ecuador have turned this game on its head.
Lots of noise now coming from the Ecuador fans, who have a very strong following here. Valencia has scored all three of their goals, and each of them has been a real striker's effort. It's so important to have a player who can finish chances.
HONDURAS SUB: Luis Garrido makes way for Mario Martinez in what is an attacking move for the losing side. They have spotted the last-chance saloon in the distance, and are eyeing up the doors.
BOOKING: E Valencia goes into the book for kicking the ball away after Noboa conceded a free kick. That was a bit silly, really.
Figueroa takes the latest free kick off Bernardez, who hit the last one, but he shouldn't have done. It goes well over the bar from some 30 yards and the chance has gone. Just over 15 minutes left for Honduras to grab something out of this.
They are on top of proceedings at the moment, and the last five minutes or so has probably seen their best spell of possession. Costly goes down in the box under a challenge from Erazo and wants a penalty, but the referee gives just a corner.
Suddenly Honduras are showing that they can play. The ball is fizzed into the feet of Costly by Martinez, with the ball then falling kindly for Espinoza, but the midfielder's effort flies over the bar.
BOOKING: A frustrated Montero goes into the book after a tussle with Costly. Both players had a bit of handbags there, but only the Ecuadorian was carded.
ECUADOR SUB: Caicedo makes way for Edison Mendez in order to shore up the midfield a little in the dying stages. There's also a switch for Honduras, with Marvin Chavez coming on for Garcia. A second change for Ecuador soon follows, with youngster Carlos Gruezo on for Minda.
Bernardez again far too heavy in the tackle, as he brings down E Valencia around 30 yards out. The striker himself wants this for his hat trick...
He struck it really quite well, but although powerful it was straight at Valladares, who was able to easily hang on.
CLOSE! We have all seen Figueroa score from that range, but this time his 35-yard effort from the left goes narrowly wide of the top corner. It would have been some goal.
Ecuador defending deep late on here, just inviting Honduras to unlock them. In the end a difficult cross comes in from deep and the winning side can waste a bit of time with Dominguez on the ball.
There will be four minutes of time added on at the end of this one, as Montero wins a corner.
ECUADOR SUB: Gabriel Achilier comes on for the final few minutes, with Montero making way.
Big, huge claim there from Dominguez. It's pumped deep into the box and there was never any real danger of anyone apart from the Ecuador keeper claiming that.
FULL-TIME: Honduras 1-2 Ecuador
So Enner Valencia has inspired his team to a huge win against Honduras in Group E. Their chances are still well alive in their battle with Switzerland for second place, while Honduras will go home.
That's all the World Cup action for today, but we will certainly be back tomorrow with more. Do stick around, however, if you fancy as we will have all the latest reaction right here on SM. Until next time, it's goodbye from me.
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