Copa America 2020 Group D: Ecuador Defeat Honduras with Early Enner Valencia Goal

The following article provides an oversight for matches and tournaments taking place in 2020.

Ecuador Defeat Honduras with Early Enner Valencia Goal

June 26, 2020

Ecuador 1 Honduras 0

 

Ecuador gained their first three points of the tournament with a single-goal victory from Enner Valencia’s foot.

 

Honduras swapped out Jerry Bengtson for Rommel Quioto up front. Ecuador kept their same line up.

 

Enner Valencia got the ball rolling with a header off a corner entering the goal area. He outsmarted two opponents and ensured the ball was angled towards the goal to send the Ecuadorian fans wild.

 

Jhegson Méndez nearly made it two goals in the tenth minute when he swirled around his defenders and fired, only to miss to the right of goal.

 

Valencia then missed to the left as him and Ángel Mena combined up front.

 

Moises Caicedo had two efforts on goal halted; the first by Luis López, while the second was cleared off the line of what seemed a certain goal.

 

Valencia and Mena combined again as Ecuador continued to dominate the first half, only for the latter to shoot straight at López.

 

Honduras used the momentum gained right before the break to look dangerous in midfield; however, this did not translate into shots on goal.

 

Ecuador won more of the fifty-fifty balls in midfield and kept their lead intact as a result, but substitute Juan Delgado had a ping that needed a choice save.

 

Still, Ecuador managed the win, and set themselves for a chance to reach the Quarter Finals. Honduras, meanwhile, cannot qualify, while Costa Rica must win big to have any hope, whilst hoping Uruguay defeat Ecuador.

 

	Group D	Pl	W	D	L	Pts	GD
1	Uruguay	2	2	0	0	6	+4
2	Ecuador	2	1	1	0	4	+1
3	Costa Rica	2	0	1	1	1	-2
4	Honduras	2	0	0	2	0	-3