A great strike by Walter Ayovi gives Ecuador a 71st minute lead which is then doubled in the 84th minute by a Pablo Palacios goal. Ayovi supplied the ball. The Argentinians paid dearly for two defensive lapses. First Battaglia and then Demichelis failed to protect the ball.
The Albiceleste maintain their fourth place in the CONMEBOL region but the Ecuadorians have closed the gap to within two points and lie in fifth place. Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay are on top. Uruguay and Colombia still have a realistic shot at qualification.
Argentina meets Brazil next who under Dunga, look very organized at the back with just 6 goals given up. It might will be a test for their vaunted attack who have sputtered scoring 19 goals while their defense has given up 15. Maradona needs to figure out how to stop the bleed and to score goals.