The Ecuadorian National Team‘s tour of Asia ended without a single victory after another defeat on penalties against Panama, culminating in a negative sequence for coach Marcelo Gallardo.
The Ecuadorian National Team‘s tour of the Asian continent ended without any wins to show for it. On Monday (05), the South American team faced Panama at the Japan National Stadium, drawing 1–1 in regulation time before falling 7–6 on penalties.
The unfavorable result deepens the early crisis under the leadership of Argentine coach Marcelo Gallardo, marking their third consecutive setback since his arrival. The friendly tournament and the series of international friendlies highlighted the challenges that ‘La Tri’ must overcome before their upcoming official fixtures.
Match flow
Panama opened the scoring in the first half, in the 38th minute, when Josué Vergara capitalized on a cross to beat goalkeeper Gonzalo Valle. Facing the difficulties created by the opponent’s defensive setup, Ecuador went into halftime trailing.
For the second half, coach Marcelo Gallardo made significant changes to the team. The introduction of players such as John Yeboah and Juan Riquelme Angulo provided greater attacking mobility, resulting in the equalizing goal in the 57th minute, built from a play that involved forward Anthony Valencia.
Penalty shootout
The winner was decided from the penalty spot after the score remained tied until the final whistle. Ecuador converted several of their kicks, but misses by Juan Riquelme Angulo and Anthony Valencia himself sealed the 7–6 defeat, even with Víctor Griffith missing for Panama.
The performance from the penalty spot ultimately weighed against Ecuador’s aspirations, capping off a series of frustrating results on the international tour.
Scenario and next steps
The friendly fixtures served as a period of complex testing for the coaching staff led by Marcelo Gallardo. Prior to this setback against the Panamanians, La Tri had been defeated 3–0 by South Korea and beaten by Japan also on penalties.
With the FIFA international window coming to a close, the called-up players return to their respective clubs, including Flamengo, where young Anthony Valencia plays. The Ecuadorian squad will reconvene only in November to begin fresh preparations for upcoming challenges on the international calendar, as reported by M360 Team.
M360 Team
