Ecuador manager Gustavo Alfaro should have all 26 players at his disposal for their World Cup 2022 opener with Group A rivals Qatar on Sunday at the Al Bayt Stadium.

The Tricolor have now welcomed Brighton & Hove Albion trio Pervis Estupinan, Moises Caicedo and Jeremy Sarmiento to their ranks, with the latter expected to shake off a minor muscular issue in time to make himself available.

Augsburg midfielder Carlos Gruezo has also been training normally since battling back from a thigh issue, although Ecuador did see right-back Byron Castillo come off with an injury in their final warm-up friendly with Iraq.

However, the 24-year-old has been left out of their squad following a scandal which threatened Ecuador's place at the World Cup, as he was found to have been born in Colombia and could therefore have been ineligible to represent the Group A team, but their place in Qatar was not impacted.

As a result, Angelo Preciado should start on the right-hand side as Estupinan bombs down the left, and the presence of the latter could see Bayer Leverkusen's Piero Hincapie start in the heart of defence alongside Felix Torres, with Alexander Dominguez in goal.

Caicedo will expect to come straight into the midfield alongside Jose Cifuentes and Gruezo, while Gonzalo Plata and Romario Ibarra support 35-goal talisman Enner Valencia.

Ecuador possible starting lineup: Dominguez; Preciado, Torres, Hincapie, Estupinan; Gruezo, Caicedo, Cifuentes; Plata, Valencia, Ibarra

> Click here to see how Qatar could line up for this match

Written by
Ben Knapton