Uruguay vs Ecuador prediction, preview, team news and more | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers
Uruguay invite Ecuador to Estadio Campeón del Siglo in their last 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying fixture of the month on Thursday.
After this game, the CONMEBOL qualifiers resume in the first week of October.
In two games in September, Uruguay played a 1-1 draw with Peru last week before returning to winning ways with an impressive 4-2 home win over Bolivia on Sunday. In that game, four goals came from the penalty spot.
Ecuador have managed to stay in third place in the standings behind Brazil and Argentina but now have just a point more than fourth-placed Uruguay. They were held to a goalless draw by Chile in their previous outing on Sunday.
Uruguay vs Ecuador Head-to-Head
The two teams have faced each other 39 times across all competitions. All of the recorded meetings between Uruguay and Ecuador have been in competitive fixtures.
The hosts have been the dominant side in this fixture, with 26 wins to their name. Ecuador have just seven wins while the spoils have been shared six times between the two sides.
Their recent meetings have been evenly contested, with three wins for each side and three games ending in draws from their last nine encounters. They last squared off in a World Cup qualifying fixture last October. Ecuador recorded a massive 4-2 win in that home game.
Uruguay form guide (all competitions): W-D-L-W-W
Ecuador form guide (all competitions): D-W-L-D-D
Uruguay vs Ecuador Team News
Uruguay
The attacking duo of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani are the only players unavailable for this game. Suarez has a knee injury while Cavani could not be present due to travel restrictions.
Fortunately, the remaining players haven't picked up injuries or suspensions for this last game of the international break.
Injured: Luis Suarez
Suspended: None
Unavailable: Edinson Cavani
Ecuador
Junior Sornoza picked up a straight red card for his stomp on Chile's Claudio Baeza and is suspended for two games. Hernán Galíndez was injured early in the game and had to be substituted in the first half. He will miss the game and might be back when the qualification campaign resumes in October.
Injured: Hernán Galíndez
Doubtful: None
Suspended: Junior Sornoza
Uruguay vs Ecuador Predicted XI
Uruguay Predicted XI (4-3-1-2): Fernando Muslera; Nahitan Nández, José Giménez, Diego Godín, Joaquín Piquerez; Federico Valverde, Matías Vecino, Rodrigo Bentancur; Giorgian De Arrascaeta; Maximiliano Gómez, Agustín Álvarez
Ecuador Predicted XI (4-3-3): Pedro Ortíz; Félix Torres, Xavier Arreaga, Luis Fernando León, Piero Hincapié; Pervis Estupinan, Jhegson Mendez, Moises Caicedo; Enner Valencia, Angel Mena, Michael Estrada
Uruguay vs Ecuador Prediction
La Celeste have home advantage for this game. La Tri won't be able to call upon the services of first-choice goalkeeper Galíndez and that hurts their chances of keeping a clean sheet here.
Ecuador are winless in their trips to the east coast so far and we expect Uruguay's strong record in the fixture to continue with a victory.
Prediction: Uruguay 3-1 Ecuador