Ecuador down World Champions Argentina to conclude World Cup qualifying

The Ecuador national team concluded their South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in the finest fashion, prevailing 1-0 over Argentina, thanks to a penalty converted by Enner Valencia.

In his 100th match for the national team, the captain, nicknamed 'Superman', scored his 47th goal for 'La Tri', just before halftime. The penalty was awarded after Nicolas Tagliafico fouled Angelo Preciado, confirmed by VAR, with Colombian referee Wilmar Roldan pointing to the spot despite Argentina's protests.

This success allowed Ecuador to end a run of four matches without scoring in the qualifiers.

The first half had been relatively balanced, until two decisive turning points: first, Nicolas Otamendi's sending off in the 31st minute for a foul on Valencia, then the opening goal from the penalty spot. 'La Tri' had already troubled Emiliano 'Dibu' Martínez with a header from Gonzalo Plata and a dangerous shot from Valencia in the opening minutes.

In the second half, the sending off of Moises Caicedo in the 50th minute restored numerical parity. Argentina then pushed for an equaliser, without finding a breakthrough. The best opportunity came from Giovani Lo Celso, whose shot after a defensive error by Willian Pacho almost caught out the home defence.

Ultimately, the Ecuadorians resisted the Argentine onslaught to secure a prestigious victory against the reigning world champions and conclude their campaign on a triumphant note.