Ecuador

SQUAD

Goalkeepers-- Edwin Villafuerte (Deportivo Quito), Cristian Mora (LDU), Damian Lanza (Aucas)

Defenders-- Ivan Hurtado (Al Arabi, Qatar), Geovanny Espinoza (LDU), Ulises de la Cruz (Aston Villa), Paul Ambrossi (LDU), Neicer Reasco (LDU), Jorge Guagua (El Nacional), Jose Luis Perlaza (Olmedo)

Midfielders-- Marlon Ayovi (Deportivo Quito), Edwin Tenorio (Barcelona), Edison Mendez (LDU), Patricio Urrutia (LDU), Cristian Lara (El Nacional), Segundo Castillo (El Nacional), Luis Antonio Valencia (Recreativo Huelva, Spain), Luis Fernando Saritama (Deportivo Quito).

Forwards-- Cristian Benitez (El Nacional), Felix Borja (El Nacional), Carlos Tenorio (Al Sadd, Qatar), Agustin Delgado (LDU), Ivan Kaviedes (Argentinos Juniors, Argentina)

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TEAM PROFILES

World Cup Record-- Previous appearances: 1

Road to Germany-- Third in the South American qualifying group, behind Brazil and Argentina, both of whom they sensationally beat in Quito

Manager-- Luis Fernando Suarez (Colombia)

Prospects-- Will be seeking to improve on their first-round exit at their first World Cup in 2002.

If they are in the right frame of mind, strikers Agustin Delgardo and Ivan Kaviedes could both rise to the big occasion, and with over 80 caps veteran Aston Villa wing-back Ulises de la Cruz has the experience to bring some stability to the defense.

But Ecuador will need to avoid defeat against Poland in their opening game on June 9 to have a realistic chance of survival.

The high-altitude specialists may well be brought down to earth with a bump in the less rarified atmosphere of northern Europe.