With the 2022 World Cup right around the corner, both Saudi Arabia and Ecuador will have the chance to build some momentum before Qatar when they compete on Friday at Estadio Nueva Condomina in Spain.
The two teams come into the match in contrasting form, with Saudi Arabia looking to get back to winning ways, while Ecuador are pushing for a continuation of their recent results.
Match preview
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Saudi Arabia may have qualified for the upcoming World Cup, but since achieving that feat they have been unable to win a single game.
The Green Falcons have lost consecutive matches heading into Friday's fixture, being defeated by Colombia and Venezuela.
A more concerning issue for Herve Renard is the fact that his men have failed to score a single goal across those two matches, losing both by a goal to nil.
The Green Falcons dominated their most recent encounter against Venezuela with 59% of the possession, but with only two shots on target, it is a situation Renard will want to address.
Saudi Arabia will have slightly less pressure on them in this game though as unlike many other international teams they actually have another international break before the World Cup.
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That is not the case for the designated visitors on Friday, as Ecuador have just two more matches before they head to Qatar for the upcoming tournament.
Despite the fact they have less preparation time than Saudi Arabia, Gustavo Alfaro's men do have plenty of momentum behind them right now.
The Tri are undefeated in their previous four matches in all competitions, and impressively they have only conceded a single goal across that period.
Considering that they are playing against a team that have been struggling for goals as of late, Ecuador have a chance of extending their strong defensive run.
However, the Tri are also not firing on all cylinders in the attacking department, having failed to score more than a single goal in a game during their previous seven.
Team News
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Fahad Al-Muwallad had been absent from Saudi Arabia's recent matches due to injuries, but he has been brought back into this squad and, with 17 international goals, he could be just what they need.
The Green Falcons are likely to rely upon Firas al-Buraikan upfront as the lone striker with two players out wide as they push to improve upon their recent attacking efforts.
Enner Valencia is one of the most experienced members of the Ecuador squad, and he is somebody that could end up being used as the leading striker.
Another player that can be expected to feature is Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo, who is enjoying a breakthrough year.
Saudi Arabia possible starting lineup:
Al Owais; Al Ghanam, Tambakti, Al Bulaihi, Madu; Al-Faraj, Al-Muwallad; Al-Ghannam, Al-Dawsari, Asiri; Al-Buraikan
Ecuador possible starting lineup:
Dominguez; Castillo, Porozo, Hincapie, Estupinan; Caicedo, Gruezo, Cifuentes; Ibarra, Estrada, Valencia
We say: Saudi Arabia 0-1 Ecuador
This is a game between two teams that certainly need to improve their attacking qualities before the World Cup begins as they are each struggling for goals.
However, the fact that Ecuador have been able to make up for that with great defensive performances means that they should be able to take a victory here in what will likely be a close game.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
