Poland 0 Ecuador 2
Agustin Delgado scored one goal and made one as Ecuador got their second ever World Cup campaign off to a flying start with a 2-0 victory over Group A rivals Poland at the Veltins Arena on Friday evening.
Delgado's 24th-minute flick-on set up the opener for Carlos Tenorio before the former Southampton man sealed victory from point-blank range with 10 minutes to play.
Poland's hopes of reaching the second round now look bleak while the Latin Americans will enter uncharted territory if they get into the last 16 in a group also featuring hosts Germany and Costa Rica.
Ecuador coach Luis Fernando Suarez had vowed to play attractive football and his team lived up to that pledge.
It was in stark contrast to their dreadful start to their first World Cup four years ago, when Italy took a 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes of Ecuador's first match in Japan.
This time it was an assured performance by the South Americans against Pawel Janas' side.
Ecuador made the early running and after 24 minutes the Latin Americans made it pay.
A throw by Aston Villa defender Ulises De La Cruz was headed on by Delgado to Tenorio, whose header beat Boruc inside his right-hand post.
Poland, who won the Olympic title on German soil in 1972 and then finished third in the West Germany-hosted World Cup two years later, tried to reply immediately but they badly needed someone of the calibre of Grzegorz Lato who was tournament top scorer in 1974 with seven goals and, with 95 caps, is still the most-capped Polish player.
Maciej Zurawski's cross just eluded Ebi Smolarek but the South Americans were now taking control.
Another De la Cruz throw was headed on by Carlos Tenorio but Delgado blasted over and then a delightful move involving De La Cruz and Luis Valencia ended with the former forcing a save from Boruc at the expense of a corner.
Smolarek was then booked for a foul on Edwin Tenorio and Boruc saved his side again when he readjusted well to save a deflected Edison Mendez free-kick.
Poland started the second-half better and after 50 minutes Jacek Krzynowek lashed a left-footed shot into the Ecuador net although Japanese referee Toru Kamikawa's whistle had already sounded for what looked a close offside decision.
The outnumbered Ecuador fans were holding their own against the vast contingent of Polish supporters who seemed to occupy all but one corner of the Veltins Arena, the home of Schalke - a German team founded in 1904 by Polish miners.
But it was now the Ecuadoreans who were being forced to dig deep with Ecuador skipper Ivan Hurtado, winning his 131st cap, doing well to block a Krzynowek shot.
Ecuador were threatening on the break but Kamikawa's decision to deny Delgado's penalty appeal after he tussled with Mariusz Jop looked a fair one.
The killer blow came after 80 minutes when Poland waited for an offside flag which - correctly - never came and substitute Ivan Kaviedes squared for Delgado to roll the ball into the net.
Jelen and substitute Pawel Brozek both hit the woodwork late on but Ecuador were full value for their win.
Delgado's 24th-minute flick-on set up the opener for Carlos Tenorio before the former Southampton man sealed victory from point-blank range with 10 minutes to play.
Poland's hopes of reaching the second round now look bleak while the Latin Americans will enter uncharted territory if they get into the last 16 in a group also featuring hosts Germany and Costa Rica.
Ecuador coach Luis Fernando Suarez had vowed to play attractive football and his team lived up to that pledge.
It was in stark contrast to their dreadful start to their first World Cup four years ago, when Italy took a 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes of Ecuador's first match in Japan.
This time it was an assured performance by the South Americans against Pawel Janas' side.
Ecuador made the early running and after 24 minutes the Latin Americans made it pay.
A throw by Aston Villa defender Ulises De La Cruz was headed on by Delgado to Tenorio, whose header beat Boruc inside his right-hand post.
Poland, who won the Olympic title on German soil in 1972 and then finished third in the West Germany-hosted World Cup two years later, tried to reply immediately but they badly needed someone of the calibre of Grzegorz Lato who was tournament top scorer in 1974 with seven goals and, with 95 caps, is still the most-capped Polish player.
Maciej Zurawski's cross just eluded Ebi Smolarek but the South Americans were now taking control.
Another De la Cruz throw was headed on by Carlos Tenorio but Delgado blasted over and then a delightful move involving De La Cruz and Luis Valencia ended with the former forcing a save from Boruc at the expense of a corner.
Smolarek was then booked for a foul on Edwin Tenorio and Boruc saved his side again when he readjusted well to save a deflected Edison Mendez free-kick.
Poland started the second-half better and after 50 minutes Jacek Krzynowek lashed a left-footed shot into the Ecuador net although Japanese referee Toru Kamikawa's whistle had already sounded for what looked a close offside decision.
The outnumbered Ecuador fans were holding their own against the vast contingent of Polish supporters who seemed to occupy all but one corner of the Veltins Arena, the home of Schalke - a German team founded in 1904 by Polish miners.
But it was now the Ecuadoreans who were being forced to dig deep with Ecuador skipper Ivan Hurtado, winning his 131st cap, doing well to block a Krzynowek shot.
Ecuador were threatening on the break but Kamikawa's decision to deny Delgado's penalty appeal after he tussled with Mariusz Jop looked a fair one.
The killer blow came after 80 minutes when Poland waited for an offside flag which - correctly - never came and substitute Ivan Kaviedes squared for Delgado to roll the ball into the net.
Jelen and substitute Pawel Brozek both hit the woodwork late on but Ecuador were full value for their win.
posted by dgarden at 8:18 am
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