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Mexico will be hosting Ecuador in a friendly that will be massively important for both squads as they enter preparations for the 2022 World Cup. Both of the teams will play some games until the World Cup begins. Keep reading for the Mexico vs Ecuador predictions, preview, and more.
Mexico has friendlies and Nations League matches versus Suriname, Jamaica, and Paraguay. On the other hand, Ecuador has Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia. It is clear that this is the strongest test for both squads before the World Cup if there are no major changes. Also, it is an important test for both sides, to play a team outside of their region. Without further ado, we have all the info for Sunday’s matchup between Mexico and Ecuador.
Mexico vs Ecuador start time, location, TV channel
What time does the game start?
The game is set to kick off at 7:30 PM EST on June 5th, 2022.
Where is the game being played?
The match will take place at Soldier Field, in Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.
How to watch or live stream?
The match can be seen on Univision. Live streams can be accessed via TUDN as well as fuboTV (Click for free trial)
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Mexico vs Ecuador preview & predictions
Mexico has a lot to explain to its fans. After an extended run without defeat, the Mexican national team lost in a major way, dropping 3-0 to Uruguay in a friendly. Now, it is a friendly and it is a game versus a huge team like Uruguay, but it is still an embarrassing scoreline for a team that has high hopes for the upcoming World Cup. This is a massive reality check and if they were to drop a game versus Ecuador too, it would mean that manager Gerardo Tata Martino needs to start doing something different. After this game, as outlined above, they have fairly easy games and they will not be real tests when it comes to the quality of opponents they will face in the World Cup. Winning this game will be a must for the Mexican team.
Ecuador, on the other hand, is in a good place generally. Their last loss, before the 3-1 loss to Paraguay, was all the way back in October. Truth be told, they are not winning a ton of games, with just one victory in the five games they played in 2022, but they are still playing at a high level. Two of the games they played in 2022 were against Argentina and Brazil, and in both games, Ecuador managed to get a point. This is not a team that will just roll over and accept defeat. They will always fight until the end and even if it is a friendly, this relentless team will look at it as a competitive game. That approach brought them a win against Nigeria, one of the more stable African sides, and they will look to repeat the 3-2 scoreline versus Mexico from a friendly in October of 2021.
When it comes to lineups and team news, Mexico will likely field their best possible eleven. They are missing some players, like Hirving Lozano, but Jesus Corona, Raul Jimenez, and Alexis Vega form a formidable front three. Gerardo Martino usually plays with three at the back, so there will be four players in the middle. Two of the most important players for building up the play will likely remain the duo of the Dutch Eredivisie. One is Erick Gutierrez from PSV and the other will be Edson Alvarez, with Jorge Sanchez and Gerardo Arteaga running on the wings. They should be playing at the back when defending, then pushing far forward when Mexico has possession.
On the other hand, Ecuador has all their best players available, more or less. The best player is likely going to be Enner Valencia, a seasoned veteran who plays for Fenerbahce in Turkey. He plays behind Leonardo Campana, a youth prospect coming out of Inter Miami. Ecuador's strength comes from the backline as well. Pervis Estupinan had a great season playing for Villarreal and likewise for Piero Hincapié for Bayer Leverkusen. Estupinan also scored the only goal versus Nigeria, getting Ecuador a massive win versus a team from a different region. It will be a team that remains stable throughout the game.
As for a prediction, Mexico will likely be the more active side. With the poor taste of defeat still in their mouths from the game versus Uruguay, the Mexican team will look to dominate. Ecuador will remain a team that defends well and looks for opportunities on the counter. Given the form and the quality of the rosters, Ecuador likely has a small edge, but Mexico is not without their chances. It will be a game to watch definitely, as both sides could be very good in the 2022 World Cup.
