Ecuador National Team's best match

On June 26, 1993, at the Atahualpa Olympic Stadium of Quito, Ecuador, Ecuador’s national team, for the third time host to the CONMEBOL Copa América, faced a unique and unrepeatable chance to make history before its own crowd and position itself, for the second time in its history, among all four best teams in the tournament. After obtaining the best possible score in the groups phase, it had to confront a very challenging rival: Paraguay’s national team.

 The Ecuadoran squad led by coach Dusan Draskovic would appear on the playing field represented by Mendoza, Capurro, Montanero, Noriega, Carcelén, Carabali, Aguinaga, Fernandez, Muñoz, Avilés and Hurtado. Against them, all 11 players coached by Alicio Solalinde were: Chilavert, Ayala, Barrios, Ramirez, Suarez, Nuñez, Struway, Sotelo, Monzon, Sanabria and Cabañas.

At the beginning of the match both squads appeared too watchful and did not show their best game. As they had very seldom found themselves in the position to play these kinds of matches, it was quite understandable that their performance would not shine bright during the early minutes of the game.

 The first advantage was obtained after 33 minutes as a result of an interception by Nixon Carcelén who, assisting his teammate «the tank» Hortado with a subtle feint, left one of their rivals behind and shot towards Chilavert’s goal, breaking the prolonged parity.

 The second goal was scored by means of a play very similar to the first one. The ball was intercepted on the Paraguayans’ half of the field and passed with a long shot to Fernández, who tried to hold the ball in the center but, on dodging a rival player and in an effort to send it along the line, gave space to Chilavert who involuntarily pushed it to roll into the net.

Both teams’ game remained at a similar level for the rest of the match until the 81st minute, when the ball was shot above a defender to Raúl Avilés who, running at great speed, left the mythical Chilavert lying on the field and closed the match with a conclusive 3-0 which took Ecuador to the final of that edition of the CONMEBOL Copa América.

Watch the match recap on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cYaQeb-K28

 SUMMARY

 Quarter-finals of Copa América Ecuador 1993

June 26, 1993

Ecuador 3 – 0 Paraguay 

Goals scored: Eduardo Hurtado (33′), José Luis Chilavert (PP) (43′) and Raul Aviles (81′)

Atahualpa Olympic Stadium Quito