When Canada faces Ecuador in a friendly on Wednesday at BMO Field the manager opposite Stephen Hart will know a thing or two about how to defeat the guys wearing red.
Reinaldo Rueda managed Honduras through their successful 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign, beating Canada twice - home and away - in the process. However, this time Rueda will likely view the match in the same way guys who own a lot of guns view the target range: the perfect place for lots of shooting practice.
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Ecuador played Mexico on Saturday at QWest Field in Seattle and came away from the game with a 1-1 draw. But the match highlights clearly show that Mexico created three or four quality scoring opportunities and generally took the game to Ecuadorians. The match reports I read described an Ecuadorian squad more content to soak up the Mexican pressure than take on any sort of offensive initiative.
The South Americans only managed two shots all match, although one of them resulted in their tying goal. It came in the form of an absolute wonder-strike in 37th minute by Michael Arroyo. Watch it at the 40 second mark of the above video.
The defensive posturing is understandable, considering that the Copa America is right around the corner and Ecuador will need the defensive aspects of its game finely tuned to have any chance against the technically superior sides it will face.
Ecuador is in the middle of a three-game mini-tour of North America, ending with a tilt against Greece in New York on June 7. Rueda is likely to view Canada as his last and best chance to really go balls out, maybe paying a bit less attention to preventing goals and focus on creating them to get his offense revved ahead of next month's tournament.
Ecuador brings a squad to Toronto that leans heavily on players from its domestic league, buttressed with a handful of guys who play in Mexico. More further below, but the country's two best players going forward will not feature at BMO Field. Look for Arroyo, who plays for San Luis in Mexico, and strikers Jamie Ayovi and Christian Benítez (Toluca and America in Mexico) to provide most of the impetus with the ball.
Whether Canada is actually a preferable option for target practice compared to Greece is debatable, but if the Ecuadorians really do give it a go then this represents an opportunity for Canada manager Stephen Hart. He has spoke in the past about eventually needing to "destroy" rather than play (or attempt to play) the slower, possession-based buildup we've seen over the past handful of friendlies. Ecuador may just give him the opportunity to try that out.
Other game notes.
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Ecuadorian media have already reported that Manchester United wingman Antonio Valencia will only play against Greece, as he is resting from his less-than-glorious Champions League final showing on the weekend. Striker Felipe Caicedo of the Spanish club Levante will also only figure against Greece due to issues related to his release for international duty. Those two are Ecuador's highest profile exports, so it's a shame they won't be on the pitch in Toronto.
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Defender Jorge Guagua of Liga de Quito has not travelled with the team due to a muscle problem in his right leg and has not been replaced.
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TFC rookie striker Joao Plata and Rubin Kazan midfielder Cristian Noboa did not play against Mexico but are expected to be in the lineup in Toronto.