World Cup

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Attendance: 74,545

World Cup | Group Stage

Jun 25, 2014 at 9pm UK

Ecuador
0-0
France

Valencia (50')

Reinaldo Rueda refuses to blame referee for Antonio Valencia dismissal

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter

Published: June 26 2014 | 06:12

Last updated: June 26 2014 | 16:12

Reinaldo Reuda refuses to blame referee Noumandiez Doue for showing Antonio Valencia a straight red card in La Tri's goalless draw against France.

Ecuador manager Reinaldo Rueda has refused to blame referee Noumandiez Doue for sending off Antonio Valencia in his side's goalless draw against France.

The Manchester United winger was shown a straight red card following a studs-up challenge on Lucas Digne five minutes into the second half to leave La Tri down to 10 men.

The South Americans, who needed a win to progress through to the last 16, failed to find the breakthrough meaning that their World Cup hopes came to an end.

"It is quite unfortunate everything that happened," Rueda is quoted as saying by BBC Sport. "I am very respectful of the referees and these issues are water under the bridge - there is nothing to be done.

"We lost an important man and we suffered from it. It's quite unfortunate some of the decisions made by the referee did not favour us but that's in the hands of the people who have to analyse the performance of the referee."

France and Switzerland qualified from Group E.