Cody Gakpo scored once more on the World Cup however the Netherlands missed the prospect to safe a spot within the final 16 on Friday as they had been held to a 1-1 draw by a battling Ecuador, a outcome which eradicated host nation Qatar. Gakpo, the gangly PSV Eindhoven ahead who has been strongly linked with a transfer to Manchester United, put the Netherlands in entrance with an excellent strike within the sixth minute on the Khalifa Worldwide Stadium. But, with a big and vociferous assist behind them, Ecuador fought again with such ferocity that the Dutch had been rattled, and so they deserved the equaliser when it got here by Enner Valencia 4 minutes after half-time.
It was Ecuador captain Valencia’s third aim of the World Cup already after his brace in his nation’s opening win over Qatar.
And one consequence of this result’s that the host nation, already crushed twice, are the primary workforce to be eradicated from their very own World Cup.
In distinction three-time crushed finalists the Netherlands usually are not fairly by to the subsequent spherical, with one level separating them, Ecuador and Senegal, who defeated Qatar 3-1 earlier.
Ecuador and Senegal meet within the final spherical of Group A matches subsequent Tuesday, whereas Louis van Gaal’s Dutch facet meet the hosts understanding a draw will make sure their place within the knockout section.
A lot of the discuss earlier than this recreation had been about Memphis Depay, with the Barcelona ahead having impressed as a second-half substitute within the 2-0 win over Senegal in his first recreation in two months after a thigh damage.
Whereas he as soon as once more began on the bench right here, it was the 23-year-old Gakpo who once more starred in entrance of aim.
Scorer of the late headed opener towards Senegal, he acquired an early breakthrough on this event, lashing a left-foot shot between the despairing dive of Hernan Galindez and the left-hand put up after being arrange by Davy Klaassen.
– Deserved equaliser –
But that, remarkably, was to be the Netherlands’ solely shot on course as they had been pushed again by Ecuador for a lot of the remainder of the sport.
Big Dutch goalkeeper Andries Noppert needed to get all the way down to his proper to maintain out a shot from Valencia, who had been a pre-match health doubt.
Then Ecuador thought they’d equalised in first-half stoppage time when Pervis Estupinan diverted an Angelo Preciado shot into the online, however the aim was disallowed for an offside towards Jackson Porozo.
Depay then got here on for Steven Bergwijn firstly of the second half however Ecuador quickly acquired their equaliser.
Estupinan was once more concerned because the Brighton and Hove Albion wing-back’s shot was saved by Noppert however Valencia adopted in to transform the free ball.
They may even have gained it, with Gonzalo Plata crashing a shot off the crossbar simply earlier than the hour mark.
An encouraging night for Ecuador was marred by the sight of Valencia coming off on a stretcher late on after which sitting with ice round his proper knee, and they’ll hope their all-time prime scorer can get better shortly.
They may certainly want him for a nerve-jangling showdown with Senegal with a spot within the final 16 on the road — it’s a stage they’ve reached solely as soon as earlier than, after they had been crushed 1-0 by England in 2006.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
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