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UAE
TZEcuador called up three Brighton players as they became the final team to confirm their 2022 World Cup squad.
Left-back Pervis Estupinan and midfielders Moises Caicedo and Jeremy Sarmiento – a former England youth international – have made the cut.
Fenerbahce striker Enner Valencia, the country’s all-time top scorer with 35 goals, captains the 26-man squad.
Gustavo Alfaro’s Ecuador play hosts Qatar in the opening game of the World Cup on Sunday (16:00 GMT).
Byron Castillo has been left out though. Chile and Peru both tried to get Ecuador kicked out of the World Cup as they claimed the Leon right-back was actually Colombian and not eligible for Ecuador.
Fifa and the Court of Arbitration for Sport both cleared Ecuador to play, although Castillo – who played eight qualifying games – has not made their squad.
Despite Ecuador being first up, the other 31 teams all confirmed their squad before the South American side.
Senegal and the Netherlands are the other teams in Group A.
Full squad
Goalkeepers: Moises Ramirez (Independiente del Valle), Alexander Dominguez (LDU Quito), Hernan Galindez (Aucas).
Defenders: Piero Hincapie (Bayer Leverkusen), Robert Arboleda (Sao Paulo), Pervis Estupinan (Brighton), Angelo Preciado (Genk), Jackson Porozo (Troyes), Xavier Arreaga (Seattle Sounders), Diego Palacios (Los Angeles FC), Felix Torres (Santos Laguna), William Pacho (Royal Antwerp).
Midfielders: Carlos Gruezo (Augsburg), Jose Cifuente (Los Angeles FC), Alan Franco (Talleres), Moises Caicedo (Brighton), Angel Mena (Club Leon), Jeremy Sarmiento (Brighton), Jhegson Mendez (Los Angeles FC), Ayrton Preciado (Santos Laguna), Gonzalo Plata (Real Valladolid), Romario Ibarra (Santos Laguna).
Forwards: Djorkaeff Reasco (Newell’s Old Boys), Kevin Rodriguez (Imbabura), Michael Estrada (Cruz Azul), Enner Valencia (Fenerbahce).
Alexander Dominguez is the most experienced goalkeeper with close to 70 caps, with only Hernan Galinder having decent experience at the highest level as well.
Moises Ramirez sealed the third spot in the final squad.
| Name | Club |
|---|---|
| Alexander Dominguez | LDU Quito |
| Hernan Galindez | Aucas |
| Moises Ramirez | Independiente del Valle |
Piero Hincapie is arguably one of the most exciting young left-backs around in the game and has looked sublime for Bayer Leverkusen.
Although not called for the September friendlies against Saudi Arabia and Japan, the likes of Robert Arboleda and Felix Torres remain important despite injury doubts in an otherwise young and inexperienced line-up.
| Name | Club |
|---|---|
| Pervis Estupinan | Brighton |
| Angelo Preciado | Gent |
| Piero Hincapie | Bayer Leverkusen |
| Xavier Arreaga | Seattle Sounders |
| Roberto Arboleda | Sao Paulo |
| Diego Palacios | Los Angeles FC |
| Jackson Porozo | Troyes |
| William Pacho | Antwerp |
| Felix Torres | Santos Laguna |
Gonzalo Plata helped Valladolid’s promotion to La Liga and scored goals against Uruguay, Colombia and Peru in the qualifiers to highlight his immense potential.
Angel Mena, Carlos Gruezo, Romario Ibarra and Alan Franco are among the tried and tested options, while Moises Caicedo of Brighton is another high-profile name.
| Name | Club |
|---|---|
| Carlos Gruezo | Augsburg |
| Angel Mena | Leon |
| Jhegson Mendez | Los Angeles FC |
| Gonzalo Plata | Valladolid |
| Moises Caicedo | Brighton |
| Romario Ibarra | Pachuca |
| Alan Franco | Telleres |
| Jose Cifuentes | Los Angeles FC |
| Jeremy Sarmiento | Brighton |
| Ayrton Preciado | Santos Laguna |
Former West Ham and Everton striker Enner Valencia, 32, is the team’s most prominent one and the country’s all-time leading scorer with 35.
Meanwhile, Michael Estrada was Ecuador’s leading goalscorer during the qualifying run with six goals.
Djorkaeff Reasco of Newell’s Old Boys seems like the other option as an out-and-out forward to feature in Qatar.
| Name | Club |
|---|---|
| Enner Valencia | Fenerbahce |
| Michael Estrada | Cruz Azul |
| Djorkaeff Reasco | Newell’s Old Boys |
| Kevin Rodriguez | Imbarbua |
Dominguez is the obvious choice in goal; with Estupinan, Hincapie, Torres and Preciado expected to form the back four.
Caicedo will be the marshalling the midfield alongside Mendez and Gruezo.
In attack, Estrada and Valencia are the two expected to bag the goals with Mena aiding the duo.
Ecuador XI (4-3-3): Domínguez; Estupiñán, Hincapié, Torres, Preciado; Caicedo, Méndez, Gruezo; Valencia, Estrada, Mena
