Ecuador lead Poland at the break

Poland 0 Ecuador 1

Ecuador made a fine start to their opening World Cup Group A match with Poland in Gelsenkirchen tonight as a goal from Carlos Tenorio gave them an interval lead.

On their debut World Cup appearance, in 2002, the Latin Americans fell 2-0 behind to Italy inside the first 20 minutes but they looked far assured kicking off their second campaign.

Ecuador were first to threaten when Segundo Castillo tried his luck from just outside the box but his angled right-footed shot went wide.

Poland, supported by a huge turnout of fans that filled all but one corner of the ground, were spurred on to respond.

Jacek Krzynowek made a dangerous run down the left deep into the penalty area, but his cross was deflected behind for a corner.

Ecuador went close for a second time when Castillo again tried his luck from distance, but Artur Boruc made any easy save.

Chances were few and far between until Poland won a free-kick 25 yards out but Krzynowek was too high and too wide with his attempted curler.

The game was in desperate need of a goal and it came Ecuador’s way in the 24th minute.

A long throw from Ulises De la Cruz was flicked on by Agustin Delgado to Tenorio, who got ahead of his marker to head the ball into the far bottom corner.

Poland tried to hit back immediately and Ebi Smolarek just failed to connect with a Maciej Zurawski cross.

But Ecuador were living up to the pre-match pledge from coach Luis Fernando Suarez to play attacking football.

Four minutes after scoring, they should have made it 2-0, when another De la Cruz throw-in caused havoc and Tenorio set up Delgado, who fired over from close range.

Next, De la Cruz worked a beautiful move with Luis Valencia but Boruc saved from the Aston Villa man at the expense of a corner.

Smolarek was booked for a nasty tackle on Edwin Tenorio and Boruc did well to adjust himself to save from Edison Mendez’s subsequent free-kick, which was deflected off the Polish wall.

Valencia forced Boruc into action again as Ecuador looked to press their advantage.