The Sports Lowdown For All Your News and OpinionsECUADOR – 250/1
Vanessa Arauz will be taking her Ecuadorian squad to Canada for the World Cup Finals for the first time, qualifying by winning the CONMEBOL-CONCACAF Play-off final after beating Trinidad and Tobago 1-0 on aggregate with 26 year old Monica Quiteros’s only goal.
Ecuador have a squad of players with similar abilities but have also developed several stand out individuals such as Goalkeeper Shirley Berruz, defenders Nancy Aguilar and Ingrid Rodriquez, Midfielders Dennise Pesantes and Amber Torres and finally Forwards Gianna Lattanzio and Quiteros. Arauz has a dedicated, opportunistic team with unflinching tactical discipline and a flexible but solid defence, no matter who is in the coach’s starting line-up.
Arauz, 26, graduated with a football coaching title in 2011, the first female to so do and with the second highest mark in Ecuador. The former Emelec midfielder was rewarded by being named as the Women’s senior team assistant. In 2003, the Ecuador coach, took full control all women’s national sides and it is said to be an excellent motivator and having a great attention to detail.
ONE TO WATCH – AMBER TORRES
Ecuador’s goalscoring midfielder Torres, 20, is the creative playmaker of coach’s Arauz side and the opposition will be keen to stop her receiving any service if they hope to progress through the tournament themselves. Will they be able to stop her?
FIXTURES
08 JUNE 00:00 CAMEROON BC Place Stadium, Vancouver
12 JUNE 00:00 SWITZERLAND BC Place Stadium, Vancouver
16 JUNE 22:00 JAPAN Winnipeg Stadium, Winnipeg
