Valencia scores, Argentina lose to Ecuador in qualifier finale | OneFootball

This Tuesday, at the Estadio Monumental Banco Pichincha, Argentina was defeated by Ecuador 1-0 in the last (18th) round of the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Without Messi, the Albiceleste, the isolated leader at the top of the table, had Otamendi sent off and conceded a goal to Enner Valencia, from Internacional, suffering their fourth defeat. Ecuadorian Moisés Caicedo was also shown a red card in the second half.

Standings Situation

Both teams entered the field already qualified for the World Cup, which will take place in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Argentina finished at the top, with 38 points. Right behind is Ecuador, with 28 points.

📋 Match Summary

🟡ECUADOR 1 x 0 ARGENTINA🔵

🏆 Competition: South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup 🏟️ Venue: Estadio Monumental Banco Pichincha, in Guayaquil (Ecuador) 📅 Date: September 9, 2025 (Tuesday) ⏰ Time: 8:00 PM (Brasília time)

Goals

How was the match?

In the first half, at the 30th minute, Otamendi was sent off for a foul on Enner Valencia, leaving the team with a numerical disadvantage. Shortly after, Tagliafico committed a penalty on Preciado, which was converted by Valencia at the 48th minute, opening the scoring for Ecuador.

In the second half, Argentina sought a reaction with offensive substitutions, including the introduction of Julián Álvarez and Lo Celso, but struggled to create clear chances. Ecuador, even after Moisés Caicedo was sent off in the 4th minute after receiving a second yellow card, remained organized and managed to control Argentina’s attacks, exploiting counterattacks and maintaining possession at strategic moments.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.