NETHERLANDS’ 1-1 with Ecuador in Group A means that hosts Qatar have now been eliminated from the World Cup.
Enner Valencia equalised after a fine move for the South Americans, though he later went off on a stretcher following a reoccurrence of his knee injury.
Valencia – the tournament’s top scorer – was later seen on the bench with a bag of ice on his knee.
- Result: Netherlands 1-1 Ecuador
- Netherlands XI: Noppert, Dumfries, Timber, Van Dijk, Ake, Blind, Koopmeiners, F. de Jong, Klaassen, Gakpo, Bergwijn
- Ecuador XI: Galindez, Caicedo, Estrada, Estupinan, Hincapie, Mendez, Plata, Porozo, Preciado, Torres, Valencia
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Holland 1-1 Ecuador
95: Ake moves forward as the Dutch go for one final attack but the final whistle blows!
It is all over. Both teams now need a point to guarantee progress in the final round.
And hosts Qatar are now OUT!
Holland 1-1 Ecuador
92: Valencia went down without any contact too there.
The top scorer at the World Cup is now sitting on the bench with a big bag of ice strapped to his knee.
Holland 1-1 Ecuador
90: Valencia went into today’s match with an injured knee.
And there was ice on the knee while he was being taken off on a stretcher.
Not looking good for the knockout stages here if Ecuador get through.
Holland 1-1 Ecuador
88: But there’s an injury to Enner Valencia.
This is not looking good for him.
He is being taken off on a stretcher.
Qatar OUT – as things stand
Hosts Qatar are out after just five days as things stand currently.
Anything but an Ecuador win and Qatar are eliminated tonight!
Holland 1-1 Ecuador
79: Torres chips in a long ball forward to Valencia but Van Dijk does well to get a head on it.
11 minutes to go and Ecuador upping the pressure.
Qatar will be celebrating, at least, if Ecuador win then Qatar AREN’T out tonight…
Holland 1-1 Ecuador
74: Brighton youngster Jeremy Sarmiento comes on for the final 15 minutes.
Ecuador sensing they can win this one.
Holland 1-1 Ecuador
71: Holland with some wasteful passes and the ball is out of play.
They have been very out of sorts since Ecuador’s goal went in.
Holland 1-1 Ecuador
67: Koopmeiners lashes in a shot for the Dutch but it’s wide of the post.
A rare moment of attack there for Holland in the second half.
Holland 1-1 Ecuador
62: Depay and Klaassen with a nice one-two on the edge of the box but is cleared.
Ecuador now back on the counter-attack.
Holland are all over the shop!
There’s only one team who look like scoring soon…
Holland 1-1 Ecuador
Ecuador HIT THE BAR!
Valencia’s shot is blocked by Van Dijk and Plata then hits an absolute rocket!
But it cannons off the bar.
All Ecuador this is now…
Holland 1-1 Ecuador
56: Yellow card for Mendez after a swipe on Memphis Depay.
He’ll have to be careful now.
Ecuador playing with their tails up now though after the goal.
Holland 1-1 Ecuador
52: Holland now back on the attack.
The Oranje win a corner but it comes to nothing.
Ecuador starting to look dangerous on the counter-attack.
Credit: Reuters Holland 1-1 Ecuador
And we don’t even go to the VAR check.
Valencia is ON-SIDE!
Game ON!
Holland 1-1 Ecuador
GOOOOALLLLLLLL!
Valencia taps it in! But is he off-side?
Did van Dijk just play him on?
Holland 1-0 Ecuador
46: The second half has kicked off!
And Memphis Depay has come on for the Dutch.
Depay is on for Steven Bergwijn.
Gakpo stunner
Cody Gakpo wheels away in celebration after his stunning strike.
The goal has been the difference here so far, but what a goal it was.
Credit: Reuters Qatar OUT – as things stand
Qatar will currently be ELIMINATED from the World Cup as things stand.
As Holland play Qatar in their final game, anything but a Ecuador win today would see the hosts knocked out!
Holland 1 – 0 Ecuador
48. Ecuador score but it is ruled out correctly for offside.
The brief celebration was loud but wasted.
The offside flag was correct and so was the VAR call.
The half ends.
Holland 1 – 0 Ecuador
44. The football action has cooled so much that the cameraman has resorted to capturing attractive women in the crowd.
There should not be any first-half injury time, just the standard hour-and-half at the end expected.
Holland 1 – 0 Ecuador
42. Valencia and Dumfries having a bit of aggro off the ball. But only handbags.
Rafael van der Vaart is in the crowd, taking up a couple of seats.
Thankfully there are plenty empty as usual.
Holland 1 – 0 Ecuador
39. Ecuador could have folded after going behind so early but they remain right in this race.
The Dutch want time and space to create but are getting almost none of either.
One moment of Enner Valencia magic could even things up.
But Memphis Depay is expected after the interval and he is tasty too.
Holland 1 – 0 Ecuador
33. SAVE!
Enner Valencia cuts in from the left wing and takes aim with his right.
The effort is hard and true headed for the bottom left corner.
But Noppert dives down to his right and parries away.
Holland 1 – 0 Ecuador
33. The is an increasing bit of needle arising from this game.
Pushing and pulling at corners and firm-but-fair tackles.
Holland 1 – 0 Ecuador
31. Holland corner after a speedy break into the Ecuador half.
Pushing and shoving again in the box and both sides taking risks with their physicality.
Ecuador clear and the atmosphere cools.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
