Ecuador’s coach, Argentine Gustavo Alfaro, ratified this Thursday the friendly against Iraq next 12 November, in Spain, prior to the debut against Qatar.
“We will play the match against Iraq in Spain. We are going to do it with the player base that we have here and some sparring partners that we also have, but we are making some arrangements to have some of our players who are working in Europe”, Alfaro said in statements released this Thursday.
The strategist said that he will take advantage of the fact that several leagues involving Ecuadorian players have concluded, to test them in the friendly.
In addition, Alfaro has been training with several players since last week, whom he has concentrated in the so-called “House of the National Team”, the sports complex that the Ecuadorian Football Federation (FEF) has in Quito as the “general’s quarters” of the national team.
The training “microcycle” started last 24 October with Alexander Domínguez (Quito League), Moisés Ramírez (Independiente del Valle) Byron Castillo, Ángel Mena (León-MEX), Felix Torres, Ayrton Preciado (Santos Laguna-MEX), Michael Estra da (Cruz Azul-MEX), Xavier Arreaga (Seattle Sounders-USA).
Likewise, Dojorkaeff Reasco (Newell’s Old Boys-ARG), Alan Franco (Talleres- ARG) and Robert Arboleda (Sao Paulo-BRA).
For his part, goalkeeper Domínguez secured in a wheel press that the game against Iraq will be played in the best way, with all the dedication possible to reach a better level before the World Cup debut against Qatar.
“We feel very good, motivated, waiting that all the teammates arrive, because we will be the ones in charge of starting the dispute in the World Cup, but full of enthusiasm and eager to polish all the details these days”, he remarked.
He hoped that all his teammates “arrive well, that no one gets injured so that the coach can prepare what will be the team’s performance in the World Cup.”
On his side, Alan Franco asserted that the expectations of the eq uipo “are very high”. “We know what we want and where we want to go in the World Cup, from the opening match, that is unique and special for us,” he added.
Rookies in this type of competition “always listen and ask to Enner (Valencia), Alexander (Domínguez), Carlos Gurezo, who were already part of the team in the World Cup (Brazil 2006), because for them they were unique experiences and hopefully one too have the opportunity to debut”, said Franco.
The final list of those summoned will be known on 14 November.
Ecuador, which is part of Group A of the Qatar World Cup together with the host country, Senegal and the Netherlands, aspires to surpass its best mark in world championships; that is, the round of 16 phase that they reached in Germany 2006, where they were eliminated by England.
Ecuador also participated in the South Korea and Japan 2002 and Brazil in the 2014.