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Arun - June 20, 2026
Ecuador and Curacao meet at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on Saturday night in a Group E fixture that amounts to a must-win for both sides. Ecuador were edged 1-0 by Ivory Coast in a game they will feel they deserved more from, while Curacao suffered a heavy 7-1 defeat to Germany on their historic World Cup debut.
With Germany and Ivory Coast sitting on three points apiece, the loser here is almost certainly eliminated before the final matchday. Our Ecuador vs Curacao prediction has the full breakdown.
Sebastian Beccacece has no injury concerns and no suspensions heading into this match. Ecuador came through the Ivory Coast defeat without any fitness issues and are expected to name an unchanged starting eleven.
The performance against Ivory Coast was encouraging in many respects, with Ecuador having two efforts hit the woodwork, but Amad Diallo’s 90th-minute winner denied them a point they arguably deserved.
Hernan Galindez continues in goal. The back four of Angelo Preciado, Willian Pacho, Piero Hincapie and Pervis Estupinan is retained. Pacho and Hincapie, who faced each other in the Champions League final this season with PSG and Arsenal respectively, provide an outstanding central defensive partnership.
Moises Caicedo anchors the midfield, with Alan Franco and John Yeboah alongside him. Kendry Paez, the teenage Chelsea midfielder, provides creativity from wide.
Ecuador’s heavy reliance on Enner Valencia is a well-documented concern. The 36-year-old captain remains the only player in the squad to have reached double figures for international goals, and he is expected to lead the line again here despite his age. Gonzalo Plata supports from wide. Ecuador finished with just 16 touches inside the Ivory Coast box on matchday one, and Beccacece will want his side to be more direct and clinical against a Curacao defence that conceded seven against Germany.
Formation: 4-3-3
GK: Hernan Galindez
Defenders: Angelo Preciado, Willian Pacho, Piero Hincapie, Pervis Estupinan
Midfield: John Yeboah, Moises Caicedo, Alan Franco
Forwards: Gonzalo Plata, Enner Valencia, Kendry Paez
Dick Advocaat has a clean bill of health and no suspensions after the Germany defeat. Despite the heavy scoreline, Curacao showed moments of quality and managed to get themselves on the scoresheet when Livano Comenencia scored what became the island nation’s first ever World Cup goal. Comenencia is expected to start again and will be one of Curacao’s key creative outlets in midfield.
Etienne Vaessen continues in goal, with the defensive unit of Rangelo Janga, Riechedly Bazoer, Cuco Martina and Darryl Lachman expected to be largely unchanged.
Captain Leandro Bacuna and Juninho Bacuna provide the midfield core, with Comenencia supporting them. Leandro Bacuna, with 16 international goals, and Juninho, with 14, shoulder the majority of Curacao’s attacking burden.
Jens Odgaard and Cody Gakpo’s former Liverpool teammate Luciano Narsingh are the likely wide options, with Jurien Gaari or Gino van Kessel leading the line.
Formation: 4-3-1-2
GK: Etienne Vaessen
Defenders: Sylvester van der Water, Riechedly Bazoer, Cuco Martina, Darryl Lachman
Midfield: Leandro Bacuna, Juninho Bacuna, Livano Comenencia
Attacking mid: Cody Drameh / Tyronne Ebuehi
Forwards: Jens Odgaard, Gino van Kessel
