The DT de la Tri, Gustavo Alfaro, recovers two key figures in the scaffolding: defender Piero Hincapié and midfielder Moisés Caicedo.
AFP
A revived Ecuador and a stumbling Chile meet this Sunday in Quito, for the South American qualifying for the Qatar-2022 World Cup. The first for asserting himself in the classification zone and the second for points that bring him back to life.
The Tricolor does not loosen the third position and now adds 12 points after winning with agony 2-0 to Paraguay last Thursday in the Ecuadorian capital, resuming the path of victory to put aside luck, which had been playing in its favor .
The Red, in turn, stumbled at home to the Green-Yellow, in a defeat (1-0) more than bitter because in a large section they beat a lackluster Tite team, who celebrated their seventh victory in line.
Chile is pressed for points to re-float from the seventh place in which it is anchored, with 6 units.
Likewise, he faces adversity due to the absences of midfielder Érick Pulgar, key axis in the start, and of central defender Guillermo Maripán, excluded for the duel in Quito due to accumulation of cautions.
Before he lost defender Francisco Sierralta (Watford) due to the refusal of English clubs to loan players, the self-marginalization of forward Ben Brereton (Blackburn Rovers, England), the loss due to injury of his offensive figure Alexis Sánchez and the absence of the scorer in the MLS , Felipe Mora (Portland Timbers).
“Without the headlines, you lose a lot,” lamented coach Martín Lasarte.
For their part, the tricolores walk with good news as they have two key figures in the scaffolding: defender Piero Hincapié and midfielder Moisés Caicedo, absent last Thursday due to suspension.
The match, for the sixth date of the World Cup, will be played from 4:00 p.m., with arbitration by the Argentines Facundo Tello (central), Juan Belatti and Diego Bonfa.
Probable lineups
Chile: Claudio Bravo; Gary Medel, Paulo Díaz, Enzo Roco; Mauricio Isla, Tomás Alarcón, Arturo Vidal, Charles Aránguiz, Eugenio Mena; Iván Morales and Eduardo Vargas.
Ecuador: Hernán Galíndez; Byron Castillo, Félix Torres, Xavier Arreaga (Piero Hincapié), Pervis Estupiñán; Carlos Gruezo, José Cifuente, Ángel Mena, Jhojan Julio; Enner Valencia and Michael Estrada. (D)