Ecuador are heading to the 2026 FIFA World Cup! They booked their ticket to the finals after drawing 0-0 away to Peru, which helped them stay unbeaten in nine straight qualifying games. It was Ecuador’s third goalless draw in a row, and even though the match had no goals, the result was enough to send La Tri to the tournament. Ecuador Qualify.
Unfortunately for Peru, the draw meant they were officially eliminated from the competition. They needed a win to stay in the race for a World Cup spot, but couldn’t find a way past Ecuador’s solid defense. It’s a tough moment for Peru fans, especially because this was their last chance to qualify.
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A Nervous Start
Right from the beginning, Peru showed they were desperate for a win. They came out strong and nearly scored in the first three minutes. Midfielder Andy Polo got a shot off inside the box, but it took a deflection and went just wide of the goal. Peru had started brightly, giving hope to the home fans in the stadium.
But Ecuador didn’t just sit back. Soon after, their star midfielder Moises Caicedo, who plays for Chelsea in England, tried a long-range shot from outside the penalty area. It was a powerful effort, but it went slightly wide. Still, it was a reminder that Ecuador could be dangerous even if they weren’t attacking much.
The rest of the first half didn’t have too many exciting moments. There weren’t many clear chances from either side, and both teams struggled to create goal-scoring opportunities. Ecuador had a bit more of the ball and a few more chances, but they didn’t look like they were going to score. That meant the BTTS (Both Teams To Score) option would have disappointed fans hoping for attacking action.
Interestingly, this was Ecuador’s third 0-0 draw in a row, including their last match against Brazil. This pattern makes Over 2.5 goals a risky bet in their recent matches, since their defense has been very strong, but they haven’t been scoring a lot either.
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Second Half: Peru Try, Ecuador Stay Strong
After halftime, Peru knew they had to go for it. A draw wasn’t enough for them, so they started the second half more aggressively. The fans in the stands cheered louder, hoping their team would finally break through.
However, by playing more offensively, Peru left themselves open at the back. Ecuador took advantage of that when Nilson Angulo scored what seemed to be the opening goal. But the celebrations were cut short because the goal was ruled offside. That was a big letdown for Ecuador, but they didn’t stop trying.
Angulo had another chance to score later, and so did Kevin Rodriguez, but Peruvian goalkeeper Pedro Gallese made some great saves to keep the score at 0-0. Even though Ecuador didn’t find the net, they were definitely looking more likely to score as the second half went on.
Peru’s Problems in Attack
Peru’s coach Oscar Ibanez made some changes to try and help his team find a goal, but nothing seemed to work. One of the biggest problems for Peru in this qualifying cycle has been their lack of goals. In fact, they have only scored six goals in their entire campaign. That’s the lowest among South American teams, and it showed again in this match.
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Even when Ecuador went down to 10 men in the 75th minute — after Alan Franco was sent off for a second yellow card — Peru couldn’t take advantage. You would think a team with an extra player for the last 15 minutes would create more chances, but Peru didn’t have any real shots that threatened Ecuador’s goalkeeper.
As the final whistle blew, Ecuador’s players celebrated, while Peru’s players looked heartbroken. The draw meant Peru had just 2 wins from 16 qualifiers, a very poor record that means they will miss out on the World Cup along with teams like Chile.
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Ecuador’s Historic Achievement
While Peru’s campaign ended in disappointment, it was all smiles for Ecuador. This result meant they qualified for their fifth World Cup in history. What makes their achievement even more impressive is that they had to overcome a three-point deduction earlier in the qualifiers, but still made it through.
Ecuador’s style might not be the most exciting — they’ve had three goalless draws in a row — but their strong defense and discipline helped them go on a nine-match unbeaten streak, which was key to their qualification. Anyone who bet on Under 2.5 goals in recent Ecuador games would’ve won big!
Head-to-Head: Ecuador vs Peru
When looking at the head-to-head history between Ecuador and Peru, it’s usually been a close match-up. Before this draw, the last five meetings between these two nations had seen BTTS happen three times, and two of them went Over 2.5 goals. So this 0-0 result was a bit surprising compared to past games.
But that’s football — sometimes history doesn’t repeat itself, especially when the pressure is so high.
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