Kick-off on 13.09.23 00:00.

The Tricolors lost their opening match to Argentina in Buenos Aires, 0-1. La Tri managed just three shots on target, created fewer dangerous attacks (32 vs 76), and played mostly on the back foot, holding only 29% possession. The Charrúas kicked off the qualifiers with a 3-1 win over Chile in Montevideo. De La Cruz scored twice and provided an assist. Eight of Uruguay's 18 shots missed the target.

Watch Ecuador vs Uruguay live — the teams have met six times in Ecuador since the early 2000s. The hosts have won the last three encounters, while draws were recorded in 2001 (1-1) and 2005 (0-0). Over the past 30 years, La Celeste have only managed one away win — a 2-1 victory in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.

Since the Qatar World Cup, Sánchez Bas’s squad has played four friendlies. In March, Ecuador split results with Australia — losing 1-3 in Sydney, then winning 2-1 in Melbourne. In June, they defeated Bolivia 1-0 in Harrison, USA, and beat Costa Rica 3-1 in Chester, England. La Tri's last home defeat came in summer 2021 — a 1-2 loss to Peru in Quito during World Cup qualifying. Stream Ecuador vs Uruguay live online.

In 2023, Uruguay drew 1-1 with Japan in Tokyo, edged South Korea 2-1 in Seoul, thrashed Nicaragua 4-1 in Montevideo, and shut out Cuba 2-0. In May, Marcelo Bielsa took over as head coach and has since led the team to three wins with a combined score of 9-2. Previously, Bielsa only coached two national teams: his native Argentina (1998–2004) and Chile (2007–2011).

The coach stated that his players are capable of winning the World Cup — and that one should never stop dreaming. According to MisterChip, Uruguay has now won their opening match in 12 consecutive World Cup qualifying campaigns, setting a new world record. Germany is second on this list. Don’t miss Ecuador vs Uruguay — stream it live online.