Netherlands v Ecuador, 25 November 2022

Kick-off: 7.00pm local (4.00pm GMT) . FIFA world ranking: Netherlands 8, Ecuador 44 . With a win, Netherlands would have been the first nation to progress to the Round of 16 at this World Cup finals. Instead, this draw meant that Qatar had become the first host nation to be eliminated after two group games. . Cody Gakpo became the second player to score in his first two appearances for Netherlands at World Cup finals after Memphis Depay in 2014 in Brazil. . Netherlands remained unbeaten in all of their 17 games since Louis van Gaal began his third spell as manager in September 2021. . Netherlands remained unbeaten in their last nine games at World Cup finals against South American opposition (won five). . Ecuador had now drawn nine of their last 13 games and lost one of their last 17. . Cody Gakpo’s goal ended Ecuador’s national record run of keeping a clean sheet in seven consecutive games. . Enner Valencia had now equalled the competition record of scoring six consecutive goals for a nation at the World Cup finals; also by Portugal’s Eusébio in 1996, Paolo Rossi of Italy in 1982 and Russia’s Oleg Salenko in 1994. . Ecuador remained without a win in their last five games at World Cup finals against European nations (lost three) . Both previous meetings had been friendlies played in Amsterdam; a 1-1 draw in May 2014 and Netherlands won 1-0 in March 2006.