Ecuador Triumphs 1-0 Over Argentina in World Cup Qualifier Finale as Both Teams Look Ahead to 2026

Historic Victory for Ecuador in Final Qualifier

Ecuador secured a significant 1-0 victory against Argentina in their final World Cup qualifier match, marking an important win for the home team. The decisive moment came through Enner Valencia’s penalty kick, scored in first-half stoppage time, helping Ecuador clinch second place in the CONMEBOL standings, finishing nine points behind Argentina.

Match Highlights and Key Moments

The match saw dramatic moments, including a red card for Argentina’s Nicolas Otamendi in the 31st minute for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity. Ecuador’s Moises Caicedo was also sent off in the 51st minute after receiving a straight red card for a foul on Nicolas Gonzalez.

Notable in his absence was Lionel Messi, who was left out of the Argentina squad by coach Lionel Scaloni. Messi had explained after the previous match against Venezuela that he would skip the Ecuador game to focus on recovery from an injury, preferring to rest and prepare for upcoming challenges.

Qualification Success for Both Nations

Both teams had already secured their spots in the 2026 World Cup, with Argentina, the reigning World Cup champions, qualifying alongside five other CONMEBOL teams. Ecuador’s qualification campaign has been particularly impressive defensively, conceding just five goals across 17 games, though they’ve struggled offensively, scoring only 13 goals. Notably, they had maintained clean sheets in their previous four qualifiers.

Looking Ahead to the 2026 World Cup

Ecuador’s strength lies in their formidable defense, featuring an impressive back four including Arsenal’s Piero Hincapie, PSG’s Willian Pacho, AC Milan’s Pervis Estupinan, and Club Brugge’s Joel Ordonez. While this match may not have carried the same weight as previous qualifiers with both teams already through, it provided Argentina an opportunity to test their depth and gave young players valuable experience, while allowing Ecuador to continue fine-tuning their squad ahead of the World Cup.