Malacia still waiting for World Cup minutes

Going into the game as Group A leaders, the Netherlands would have been the first nation to book a place in the last 16 if they had beaten Ecuador at the Khalifa International Stadium, following Senegal’s 3-1 triumph over the hosts Qatar earlier in the day.

The Dutch started in the best possible fashion, going ahead with the quickest goal of the tournament so far, a stunning left-foot strike by PSV Eindhoven winger Cody Gakpo just inside the sixth minute.

But Ecuador worked hard to respond and there was a warning sign for the Netherlands in first-half injury time when the South Americans found the net through Brighton left-back Pervis Estupinan, only to have the effort ruled out for offside.