With the aim of closing the year with its complete record at home, Venezuela hosts an Ecuador on Thursday, punished by injuries and the urgent need to add victories to move up the standings for the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
Venezuela, the only South American team that has never played in a World Cup, surprisingly occupies fourth place in the tie with a harvest of seven points, just like Uruguay and Brazil, which with a better goal difference are in second and third place, respectively. . The leader is Argentina with 12 points in four games.
After losing 1-0 in their debut as a visitor against Colombia, in the last three dates, they achieved an unprecedented 1-1 away draw against Brazil and beat Paraguay 1-0 at home and Chile 3-0.
The Ecuadorian team, which began the tie with three points less by decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sports (TAS), has four points and occupies sixth position. In their first four games, La Tricolor succumbed 1-0 to Argentina, beat Uruguay 2-1, defeated Bolivia 2-1 and drew goalless against Colombia.
Prior to the World Cup in Qatar, Peru and Chile requested the exclusion of Ecuador from that contest due to the participation of Byron Castillo in the tie wearing the Tri shirt; Although the CAS judges confirmed the participation of the Ecuadorian team in the World Cup, they agreed with the Chileans and Peruvians, stating that Byron Castillo was born in Colombia and that “false information” about his date and place of birth was used to obtain a passport. Ecuadorian. The challenge ended in a minimal financial penalty and the loss of three points in the following knockout phase.
La Vinotinto, directed by the Argentine Fernando Batista, presents itself as a tough nut to crack. After four games he has shown good defense, has been free of injuries and enjoys the pleasure of scoring goals.
The Ecuadorians, for their part, also show good performance; but in addition to starting at a disadvantage due to the sanction, injuries have affected him.
Ecuador’s Spanish coach, Félix Sánchez Bas, will be without captain Enner Valencia, who was ruled out due to an injury suffered on Saturday in his club’s clash, Inter Porto Alegre, against Palmeiras. In his place, Leonardo Campana, Inter Miami’s second best scorer, was called.
Also left at home due to injuries were defender Jhoanner Chávez and goalkeeper Moisés Ramírez. His replacements are Aníbal Chalá, from Emelec, and the naturalized Ecuadorian Argentine goalkeeper Javier Burrai, from Barcelona SC, respectively.
Carlos Gruezo, who is serving a one-match suspension due to the accumulation of yellow cards, will not be available against Venezuela and will return against Chile in Quito.
“This has been a slightly more eventful date” in terms of injuries, declared Sánchez Bas in a press conference released by the Ecuadorian Football Federation.
“Unfortunately, more have happened than we would have liked, but hey, we already have other alternatives, which are also a guarantee for us,” said the strategist, highlighting that he also hopes to forget in the near future the three-point disadvantage that carries on his back
Like the previous two dates, defender Pervis Estupiñán is also still absent, a key piece in the Ecuadorian team’s defensive gear, who was injured in a match against Brighton, in the English Premier League.
The first six teams from South America qualify directly for the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The seventh will play a playoff against a rival from another confederation.
The match will be played at the Monumental de Maturín stadium, about 410 kilometers east of Caracas.
