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Ecuador tops Poland 2-0 in Group A

(AP)
Updated: 2006-06-10 10:07

Ecuador proved to be World Cup worthy far away from the comforts,and high altitude, of home.

Agustin Delgado set up a first-half goal Friday and added his own in the 80th minute to quiet the boisterous pro-Poland crowd with a 2-0 victory in the teams' Group A opener.

Ecuador's Neicer Reasco celebrates after his team scored their second goal during their Group A World Cup 2006 soccer match against Poland in Gelsenkirchen June 9, 2006. [Reuters]

Their credentials questioned because seven of their eight qualifying wins came more than 2,700 meters (9,000 feet) above sea level in Quito, Ecuador got off to strong start near sea level in its second World Cup.

"Ecuador was always criticized and what they were saying about Ecuador was you can only win when you're playing at a very high altitude," coach Luis Suarez said. "But despite the atmosphere and the low altitude, we managed to win."

Ecuador did a good job protecting the lead they got from Carlos Tenorio's goal in the 24th minute. Captain Ivan Hurtado and Neicer Reasco helped thwart the few chances the Poles got, although Poland hit the goalpost twice in the final minutes.

Delgado then put the game away late. Edison Mendez slid a pass to Ivan Kaviedes, who beat an offside trap and fed Delgado alone in the front of the net for the easy score.

Starting the game with Maciej Zurawski as the lone striker, Poland didn't test goalkeeper Cristian Mora at all. Even the substitution of a second forward, Ireneusz Jelen, in the 68th minute didn't help the Poles, who didn't have a shot on goal until the 84th minute.

Ecuador is tied with Germany atop Group A. The hosts beat Costa Rica 4-2 earlier Friday. Ecuador, which lost its first two games on its way to first-round elimination in its World Cup debut four years ago, plays Costa Rica next Thursday.

"This was a great result. We achieved our expectations," Suarez said. "But this is just a step. The mountain is great. This is just the first step for Ecuador in this World Cup."

Thousands of Polish fans made the trip to Germany, where the team won the 1972 Olympic gold medal and finished third in the 1974 World Cup. They draped the stadium in a sea of red and white, making it feel more like Warsaw than Gelsenkirchen.