Argentina, Ecuador win opening FIFA World Cup qualifiers
October 8th, 2011 - 8:04 pm ICT by IANSQuito (Ecuador), Oct 8 (IANS) Ecuador beat Venezuela 2-0 while Argentina thrashed Chile 4-1 in the opening matches of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier.
Playing at home here in front of 40,000 enthusiastic fans, the Ecuadorian side took an early lead by Jaime Ayovi in the 14th minute and extended the lead in the 27th minute with Christian “Chucho” Benitez finding the net.
The visitors never got back in control of the game after the second goal, Xinhua reported.
Ecuador qualified for the first time in the 2002 edition held in Japan and South Korea, and achieved the same feat four years later in Germany.
Venezuela, meanwhile, are still seeking to qualify for the World Cup for the first time and came to Quito upbeat of their chances.
Argentina won quite comfortably against Chile with Gonzalo Higuain scoring a hat-trick and Lionel Messi chipping in with one goal.
Results:
At Montevideo
Uruguay 4 (Suarez 4, Lugano 26, 72, Cavani 35), Bolivia 2 (Cardozo 18, Martins 88-pen)
At Quito
Ecuador 2 (Ayovi 15, Benitez 28), Venezuela 0
At Buenos Aires
Argentina 4 (Higuain 8, 51, 63, Messi 26), Chile 1 (Fernandez 60)
- Chile qualifies for World Cup, Argentina back on track - Oct 11, 2009
- Goalscorers at World Cup 2010 - Jul 12, 2010
- Uruguay announces World Cup team - May 30, 2010
- 2010 World Cup: Brazil win, Argentina stumble in qualifiers - Jun 11, 2009
- All set for Messi magic Friday - Sep 01, 2011
- Brazil stumbles with 1-1 draw against Ecuador - Mar 30, 2009
- Argentina lose again; Paraguay seal World Cup berth (Roundup) - Sep 10, 2009
- Argentina tackle crucial match as they look over abyss - Oct 09, 2009
- Higuain hat-trick gives Argentina easy win over South Korea - Jun 17, 2010
- Argentinian stars have a long affair with Kolkata - Sep 01, 2011
- Di Maria to miss World Cup qualifiers due to injury - Nov 08, 2011
- Goalscorers at World Cup - Jul 08, 2010
- Argentina qualify for World Cup; Uruguay go to play-off - Oct 15, 2009
- Goalscorers at World Cup - Jun 29, 2010
- Goalscorers at World Cup - Jun 30, 2010
Tags: bolivia, buenos aires argentina, chucho, ecuadorian, enthusiastic fans, fifa world cup, fifa world cup qualifier, gonzalo higuain, hat trick, lionel, martins, montevideo uruguay, playing at home, quito ecuador, south korea, suarez, venezuela, world cup qualifier, world cup qualifiers, xinhua