Ecuador name Brighton trio in last-named squad for FIFA World Cup 2022
Ecuador called up three Brighton players as the final team to confirm their World Cup squad for 2022. Ecuador and Qatar will open the tournament on Sunday
Ecuador leave out Castillo in last-named World Cup squad (Reuters)
By India Today Web Desk: Ecuador coach Gustavo Alfaro announced his squad on Monday evening, close to the deadline, and did not include defender Byron Castillo, despite the legal problems Ecuador soccer officials have faced since qualifying in March.
Chile and Peru argued in front of sports officials that Castillo was actually Colombian and had played several World Cup qualifiers illegally. Ecuador was allowed to compete in Group A alongside hosts Qatar, Senegal, and the Netherlands after the claim was rejected.
Ecuador and Qatar will kick off the FIFA World Cup 2022 on Sunday. The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled last week that Ecuador will be docked three points before the start of South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup due to the use of false information about Castillo’s birthday and birthplace in its passport-granting procedures. Alfaro summoned striker Kevin Rodriguez from Ecuador’s second division. Ecuador is competing in the World Cup for the fourth time this century.
Ecuador: Goalkeepers: Moisés RamÃrez (Independiente del Valle), Alexander DomÃnguez (Liga de Quito), Hernán GalÃndez (Aucas).
Defenders: Piero Hincapié (Bayer Leverkusen), Robert Arboleda (Sao Paulo), Pervis Estupiñán (Brighton), Angelo Preciado (Genk), Jackson Porozo (Troyes), Xavier Arreaga (Seattle Sounders), Diego Palacios (Los Angeles), Félix Torres (Santos Laguna), William Pacho (Royal Antwerp).
Midfielders: Carlos Gruezo (Augsburg), José Cifuentes, Jhegson Méndez (Los Angeles), Moisés Caicedo (Brighton), Jeremy Sarmiento (Brighton), Alan Franco (Talleres), Ãngel Mena (León), Ayrton Preciado (Santos), Gonzalo Plata (Valladolid), Romario Ibarra (Pachuca).
Forwards: Djorkaeff Reasco (Newell’s Old Boys), Énner Valencia (Fenerbahçe), Kevin RodrÃguez (Imbabura), Michael Estrada (Cruz Azul).
