DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Enner Valencia has scored Ecuador’s final six World Cup objectives so there’s no understating how frightened his nation is after he was carried off the sphere on a stretcher in opposition to the Netherlands .Ecuador hopes that the 33-year-old striker’s troublesome knees are OK for a decisive last group match in opposition to Senegal on Tuesday. He harm his proper knee in opposition to the Netherlands after spraining his left knee within the first recreation in opposition to Qatar.He was up and strolling a short time after that stretcher experience with an ice pack strapped to his proper leg.“Let’s hope,” Valencia mentioned.Ecuador’s captain has three objectives in two video games in Qatar and is clearly key to its probabilities of reaching the knockout stage for less than the second time. He scored three in three video games in Ecuador’s final World Cup look in 2014 however that wasn’t sufficient to advance in Brazil.La Tri have a slight benefit this time by needing a win or a draw to make sure of going by means of. Senegal has to win to make sure of advancing.A victory by host Qatar over Netherlands would make different permutations potential in Group A however that result’s seen as unlikely given the Qataris’ struggles. They’ve already been eradicated.A chronic keep on the World Cup would put extra pressure on Valencia’s knees and an ongoing ankle downside however there’s little doubt he’d take the ache for some World Cup pleasure after 10 years of service to the nationwide workforce.“Good folks like Enner deserve good issues,” Ecuador coach Gustavo Alfaro mentioned. “He’s labored laborious for this.”The younger Ecuador workforce beat Qatar 2-0 within the event’s opening recreation then stretched the favored Netherlands in 1-1 draw.“It doesn’t matter what occurs within the subsequent recreation, I’ll by no means change my thoughts about these guys,” Alfaro mentioned. “I’m sure that an amazing future awaits them. They’re combating their first battles.”Whereas Ecuador holds out hope for Valencia’s health, Senegal is already two video games into life with out its greatest participant.Sadio Mane’s damage simply two weeks earlier than the World Cup compelled the African champion to reconfigure its ahead line and its complete recreation plan.It was nonetheless a piece in progress in a gap 2-0 loss to Netherlands however Senegal got here nearer to totally adjusting to Mane’s absence when forwards Boulaye Dia, Famara Diedhiou and Bamba Dieng all scored in a 3-1 win over Qatar to revive Senegal’s possibilities.Senegal, ranked No. 18 on the planet and contemporary from successful the African Cup of Nations title in February, would usually be the clear favourite over the inexperienced No. 44 Ecuador, even with Valencia’s extraordinary run of scoring in 4 of Ecuador’s final 5 World Cup video games.It’s by no means so easy at a World Cup and definitely not at this one after No. 3 Argentina misplaced to Saudi Arabia and No. 2 Belgium fell to Morocco.“Simply take a look at how the World Cup is unfolding,” mentioned Senegal coach Aliou Cisse. “I feel something can occur at this World Cup. It’s not like 30 years in the past when the large fish have been fully consuming the little fish alive.”___