Poland vs Ecuador

June 7 (Reuters) - Poland play Ecuador in the second game of the World Cup finals on Friday.

Where: Arena Auf Schalke, Gelsenkirchen

World Cup Capacity: 52,500

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When: Friday June 9, 2100 local (1900 GMT)

Referee: Toru Kamikawa (Japan)

Teams: Likely formation; shirt numbers; name, caps, goals:

Poland (4-5-1):

1-Artur Boruc (17-0); 6-Jacek Bak (72-2), 2-Mariusz Jop (12-0), 14-Michal Zewlakow (56-1), 4-Marcin Baszczynski (32-1); 8-Jacek Krzynowek (58-9), 16-Arkadiusz Radomski (20-0), 10-Miroslaw Szymkowiak (28-3), 7-Radoslaw Sobolewski (19-1), 15- Euzebiusz Smolarek (14-4); 9-Maciej Zurawski (50-15).

Coach: Pawel Janas

Ecuador (4-4-2):

12-Cristian Mora (8-0); 4-Ulises de la Cruz (84-5),

3-Ivan Hurtado (130-5), 17-Giovanny Espinoza (56-2), 18-Neicer Reasco (31-0); 8-Edison Mendez (64-10), 20-Edwin Tenorio (68-0), 14-Segundo Castillo (11-1), 16-Luis Antonio Valencia (17-3); 11-Agustin Delgado (68-29), 21-Carlos Tenorio (29-5) or 10-Ivan Kaviedes (44-13)

Coach: Luis Fernandez Suarez

Team News:

Suspended: none

Injured: Poland's Jacek Bak and Jacek Krzynowek are expected to recover from minor injury and illness worries in time to start. Ecuador have no serious injury concerns.

Doubtful: Ecuador's Carlos Tenorio is nursing a calf-muscle injury but is fit enough to be considered for a starting role.

General

Edwin Villafuerte's faltering performance in Ecuador's 2-1 warm-up defeat by Macedonia could mean Cristian Mora is preferred in goal.

Striker Ivan Kaviedes could come in for Tenorio who injured a calf muscle in that match, although Tenorio is now fit again.

Poland coach Janas's new defensive formation ground out a 1-0 win over Croatia on Saturday, giving the Poles a welcome boost just before a group opener they see as crucial to their progress.

Ecuador need to pick up after losing to Netherlands, Japan and the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia and drawing 1-1 with Colombia in friendlies since qualifying.

Coach Suarez nevertheless believes they have progressed since their World Cup debut four years ago when losses to Italy and Mexico saw them eliminated after their first two matches.

Key quotes:

Polish defender Jacek Bak: "We need to approach this match from a different perspective to four years ago. Of course, we've got three games in this group, but the first is very important, maybe the most important."

"Ecuador look like a very solid side. They are technically excellent. But I believe we will win this game and that we will get out of the group."

Ecuador coach Luis Fernando Suarez: "We came to show our growth. We are more experienced and we have to prove that to everyone. Poland are physically strong, very fast and dangerous from crosses."

Key stats:

Poland right back Marcin Baszczynski celebrated his 29th birthday on Wednesday.

Poland and Ecuador met in a friendly in Barcelona last November, just two weeks before the draw put them together in Group A. Poland won 3-0 in the only match between the teams.

Previous World Cup meetings:

No previous meetings.

Next matches:

Germany v Poland, June 14 Dortmund

Ecuador v Costa Rica, June 15 Hamburg

Ecuador v Germany, June 20 Berlin

Costa Rica v Poland, June 20 Hanover