Rio de Janeiro: Ten-man Ecuador bravely held France to a 0-0 draw at Rio’s Maracana stadium on Wednesday (Thursday in India) but the European favourites still topped Group E to gain a second round tie against Nigeria.
Through luck, determination, bad finishing and brilliant goalkeeping by Alexander Dominguez, Ecuador resisted even after captain and Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia was ordered off early in the second half for a studs up challenge on Lucas Digne.
The result was disappointing for French coach Didier Deschamps but was enough to take top place with seven points and the easier of the possible second round ties next Monday.
Switzerland’s 3-0 win over Honduras in the group’s other game gave them second place and a tough match against Argentina on Tuesday.
Ecuador become the first South American side to be knocked out of this World Cup.
Deschamps made six changes for this game and will certainly bring back several of the missing players to take on Nigeria.
Karim Benzema, scorer of three goals in wins over Honduras and Switzerland, kept his place in the side, but France missed the creativity of Mathieu Valbuena and Yohan Cabaye, the latter absent due to suspension and replaced by Morgan Schneiderlin.
Les Bleus controlled much of the first half, but only sporadically troubled Alexander Dominguez in the Ecuador goal.
Switzerland’s Xherdan Shaqiri erased his side’s lingering World Cup pain in Manaus on Wednesday, scoring a hat-trick to see off Honduras 3-0 and secure a daunting last-16 tie against Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
Four years ago the Central Americans denied Switzerland a place in the knockout rounds by holding out for a 0-0 draw but two first-half goals from the impressive Bayern Munich player gave Honduras a mountain to climb.
Ottmar Hitzfeld’s team, sixth in the FIFA rankings, came into the game level on points with Ecuador in Group E, three points off leaders France, knowing a victory would likely see them progress. (AFP)
Group E final standings
Team P W D L GD Pts
France 3 2 1 0 6 7
Switzerland 3 2 0 1 1 6
Ecuador 3 1 1 1 0 4
Honduras 3 0 0 3 -7 0