Uruguay and Ecuador played out a 0-0 draw on Tuesday in the match scheduled in the tenth day of the qualifiers in South America where the guest again showed his defensive strength and the local team extended its losing streak of four games without knowing a win.
At the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo, La Celeste extended their streak with a four game win streak in the playoffs and an eight game winless streakconsidering that they have not done this since they defeated the United States in July for the Copa América. Since then, La Celeste has tied six games and lost the remaining two. On the other hand, Ecuador added a new game without scoring a goal and in the last seven matches they have not lost a single one. As a result, those led by Marcelo Bielsa reached the 16th place, while those led by Sebastián Beccacece reached 13th.
After last Friday’s defeat against Peru, Bielsa ditched the three-back line and reverted to a 4-3-3 with Manuel Ugarte occupying the center of the pitch and allowing Giorgian de Arrascaeta to hold the ball. Ecuador chose eleven players with great speed on the wings. The winners Gonzalo Plata and Alan Minda teamed up with Ángelo Preciado and Pervis Estupiñán and that’s when the best play of the eleven Beccacece appeared.
A minute later a powerful header from Enner Valencia tested goalkeeper Sergio Rochet, who responded well. Uruguay responded and the Argentinian made Ecuadorian Hernán Galíndez wear a hero’s hat-trick to endure a goalless goal. He first stopped a shot in the area by Darwin Núñez and flew to avoid a great goal from Federico Valverde’s free kick. He later left the Real Madrid player without celebration
After 30 minutes and the goalkeeper had already crossed, the left post prevented a goal from Núñez, who entered the tenth day as the top scorer in the game with five goals in South America.
Ecuador took a breather towards the end and it was Rochet who stood out to avoid the first of a team that arrived in Montevideo with just six goals and four in nine games. As such, with the golden numbers, the first half ended with one goal.
In the second part everything changed: The playoffs were never seen and both Rochet and Galíndez became spectators about the meeting that came out. Moisés Caicedo wanted to surprise with a long ball that went wide, as Uruguay struggled to create any chances after Ecuador came back and at times put their eleven players at the back.
In this way, the games played at Centennial ended with no goals. The next day, La Celeste will look to return to victory when they host Colombia, while Ecuador will host Bolivia.
