2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Match 43 Group E Ecuador Vs France Wednesday June 25,2014

Ecuador Vs  France at Estadio do Maracana, Rio de Janeiro

Managers

Didier Deschamps(France)

MATCH PREVIEW

Head-to-head

• France won 2-0 in the only previous meeting, a friendly in 2008 in Grenoble. Current Ecuador squad members Walter Ayovi and Antonio Valencia started that game while Patrice Evra of France came on at half-time.
• France are unbeaten in six World Cup matches against South American opposition since a 2-1 defeat by Argentina in 1978. The French haven't conceded a goal in the last five of those subsequent encounters.

Ecuador

• Ecuador are vying to advance from the group stage for the second time in three attempts. They reached the last 16 on their most recent appearance in 2006 before losing 1-0 to England.
• This is coach Reinaldo Rueda's 50th match in charge of Ecuador. He has won 20 of his 49 games in charge, drawing 15 and losing 14.
• They have gone seven matches without keeping a clean sheet.
• Enner Valencia has scored seven goals in his last six matches for Ecuador, including three in two games at this World Cup. He needs one more goal to surpass Agustin Delagado as Ecuador's all-time top World Cup goalscorer.
• Luis Saritama could earn his 50th cap.

France

• France have gone seven successive games without defeat (W6, D1) for the first time since a 23-match streak between 2010 and 2012.
• They have scored three or more goals in consecutive World Cup matches for the first time since the 1998 group stage.
• Didier Deschamps' side can win their three group matches for only the second World Cup. They previously did so as the host nation in 1998, when they went on to win the tournament.
• The last five times France reached the knockout stage, they at least reached the semi-finals.
• Karim Benzema has scored nine goals in his last eight appearances for France.
• Mathieu Valbuena has created six goalscoring chances for France in their two games so far. He created more goalscoring chances than any other player in the French top flight during 2013-14 (90).

The Match ended in a goalless draw

• France and Ecuador fought out an entertaining goalless draw at the Maracana
• Antonio Valencia was sent off for a shocking challenge on Lucas Digne
  
  
• But the sending off galvanised Ecuador, who impressed in the second half and forged several chances
 

 

 France WAGs show off the names on the back of their shirts as they pose for photographs

The wives of Yohan Cabaye, Loic Remy, Mamadou Sakho, Bacary Sagna and Patrice Evra attend