Ecuador's Limited History Against Oceania Teams: Only Three Matches Played
Ecuador’s history with teams from Oceania is surprisingly brief, with the national football team having played just three matches against sides from that part of the world. The upcoming friendly match against New Zealand marks an unprecedented moment in Ecuadorian football, as it will be their first official meeting with a team from the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC).
Historically, Ecuador’s only encounters with Oceania teams have been against Australia, a nation that, despite geographically belonging to Oceania, is now part of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). In fact, the 2025 friendly with New Zealand will be Ecuador’s first-ever match against an OFC member.
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The first meeting between Ecuador and Australia took place on March 5, 2014, in London. The match became one of the most thrilling comebacks in Ecuador’s football history. After falling behind 3-0, Ecuador staged a remarkable turnaround, winning 4-3 thanks to goals from Fidel MartÃnez, Segundo Castillo, Édison Méndez, and Enner Valencia.
Nearly a decade later, Ecuador faced Australia again in March 2023, marking the beginning of Félix Sánchez Bas’ tenure as head coach of the national team. During a mini-tour of Australia, Ecuador lost 3-1 in Sydney but got revenge with a 2-1 victory in Melbourne just a few days later. With a record of two wins and one loss against Australia, Ecuador’s total number of matches against Oceania teams still remains at a mere three.
Additionally, there was an indirect encounter between Ecuador and a team from Oceania at the youth level. In the 2023 U-20 World Cup in Argentina, Ecuador faced Fiji, a nation that belongs to the OFC. Ecuador won the match 9-0, though this result does not count towards the senior team’s official history. Despite this, the game serves as a reference point for the broader relationship between Ecuadorian and Oceanic football.
Therefore, the match against New Zealand represents much more than just another friendly for Ecuador. It is not only crucial for the team's FIFA ranking but also historic in terms of facing an actual OFC team for the first time. With both teams already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, this encounter will mark a significant chapter in Ecuador’s football history.
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