Ecuador have lost only once in this calendar year and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Moisés Caicedo has started in all of their matches.
Gustavo Alfaro included the Seagulls midfielder in his squad for the two friendlies against Saudi Arabia and Japan this month.
Both the ties ended in a goalless draw, although the clash against Japan could have resulted in a victory for Ecuador, had Enner Valencia converted from the spot. The South American nation have conceded only six goals from nine matches and have kept clean sheets in the last five outings.
El Universo columnist Mario Canessa Oneto is delighted with Ecuador’s defensive record but has blamed Alfaro for not utilising the Brighton star to improve their attack. La Tri have failed to score more than one goal in a game in 2023.
“Ecuador have a pretty good defensive order in the midfield. José Cifuentes was the apex of the triangle that Alfaro put up (against Japan), with Moisés and Jhegson Méndez (other times it is Carlos Gruezo), but Caicedo ends up being too tactical, too defensive,” he said.
Canessa is of the belief Brighton have worked out how to make the best use of Caicedo, something the national team manager has failed to do so far.
“He is not the Moisés Caicedo of Brighton because in that club he has Alexis Mac Allister, to whom he gives the ball and accompanies him. In the national team there is no such element,” Canessa explained.
