Bolivia took full advantage of some extremely poor defending in the first half by Ecuador to rack up three unanswered goals. An unmarked Ronald Raldes got things started with his header off a Martin Smedberg Dalence corner. Then Walter Ayovi, the veteran full back dawdled on the ball and was stripped by Marcelo Martins who pushed the ball towards Smedberg Dalence arriving in the middle who sent the ball curling around the near post.
Ecuador had a chance to pull back one when Edward Zenteno held back Enner Valencia following a corner and a penalty was awarded. Valencia’s had to retake the PL after the first one was called back for encroachment. However, in his second attempt West Ham striker was entirely too casual in his approach and his tame effort was well stopped by Romel Quinonez. The Bolivian goalie was having a blinder stopping some very well struck shots.
Alexander Dominguez, Quinonez’s Ecuadorian counterpart had no such luck stopping Martin’s well struck penalty after Frickson Erazo’s dangerously high leg brought down Damian Lizio. The second half saw a transformation as Ecuador mounted a furious comeback with Valencia, Jefferson Montero, Christian Noboa, and Miller Bolanos running at the Bolivians causing all sorts of problems with their speed and movement. Montero running down the left was able to find Valencia who closed the gap with an easy finish. Bolanos’s superlative strike from 30 yards out with the perfect speed and dip proved unstoppable. Ecuador now just a goal from equalizing was swarming the Bolivians. Noboa’s long range blast smacked the crossbar as Quinonez was beaten all ends up.
Bolivia managed to hang on and see the remaining minutes out. They had been outshot 21 to 4 but they had gotten enough of the most important statistic to seal the win. This leaves Bolivia in a very favourable position to qualify for the knock out stage for the first time since 1997.