World Cup 2022

So, Qatar will be the first eliminated team unless Ecuador win this evening.

Qatar need an Ecuador win today now and then before next week they need to find a Qatari Archie Gemmill.

Neymar out at least the next match:

Brazil will have to muddle through with Gabriel Jesus or Martinelli or Antony or Rodrygo in his place somehow, he said sarcastically but also not without wonder and amazement at the depth of the Brazilian side.

Ecuador with some chances here but not finishing.

Well, that will wake the Netherlands up.

Edit: nope, they called it back

Yeah, the Ecuadorian player needed to hustle out once the Dutch players pushed up. Instead he kinda got caught ball watching while standing right in front of the goalkeeper in an offside position.

Ecuador showing some real quality there after the Gakpo goal early on.

I see some sympathetic Ecuadoran accounts on twitter pointing out that the keeper was already moving towards the shot when the shot was deflected on its way in, so that offside shouldnā€™t have been flaggedā€¦but I need a smarter offside philosopher to tell me whether thereā€™s any merit to that. As far as Iā€™ve come to understand it, any player standing in front of the keeper in an offside position makes the play offside, regardless of things like that. But maybe thatā€™s open to interpretation?

Yeah that goal will always get chalked off, an attacking player just canā€™t really be in that position right in front of the keeper. If he was out of the gkā€™s line of sight then it might have had a chance, but his position made it impossible for that goal to count.

I still feel that Ecuador are well in this, theyā€™ve played some good stuff in that first half and caused the Dutch some problems.

Ecuador gets back in it!

And there it is. the offside flag doesnā€™t come to the rescue for the Dutch this time.

OFF THE CROSSBAR

Ecuador well on top here, the Dutch offering very little. They hit the woodwork just now, feels like a matter of time before they take the lead. I feel the Ecuadorians will be disappointed if they donā€™t come away with the win here. The game is there for the taking

I think a lot of teams will be looking at Ecuador and thinking ā€œnot sure I fancy them in the knockout stagesā€

Agree with you there, mate. They play good aggressive front foot football, not sitting back and letting the Dutch just knock it around. They are pressing very well without over committing for the most part. Well organized and tough to break down, Iā€™ve been impressed with them.

No Josh Sargent, unfortunately for England :D

Ecuador manage the draw. Would have been happy with that but it sure seemed they had the upper hand in that second half.

Same again for Southgateā€™s England

So Ecuador will need a win or a draw with Senegal to advance. Is that right?

A draw will be enough to see them through to the next round

I believe a loss will also do if Netherlands lose to Qatar more heavily.