Socceroos vs Ecuador score and highlights as Australia fall to narrow defeat in Melbourne

Joshua Thomas

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Socceroos vs Ecuador score and highlights as Australia fall to narrow defeat in Melbourne image

The Socceroos were beaten 2-1 by Ecuador on Tuesday night during a fiery friendly in Melbourne. 

After Australia claimed an impressive 3-1 win on Friday, Graham Arnold's side started brightly and opened the scoring in the 16th minute through Brandon Borrello after Craig Goodwin had struck the post. 

Ecuador kept the Socceroos debutant goalkeeper Joe Gauci busy in the first half as they probed for an equaliser that would eventually come six minutes into the second half.

Pervis Estupinan calmly converting a penalty after a foul from Thomas Deng to pull his side level. 

Ecuador were energised by that goal and took the lead in the 65th minute after debutant William Pacho headed the ball home following a corner. 

The Socceroos chased an equaliser but struggled to truly come close against an Ecuador side that was determined to avenge last week's loss. 

Though just a friendly, this fixture wasn't short on some heavy challenges and fiery moments as both teams showed their hunger to build on promising World Cup campaigns. 

The Sporting News followed all of the action live with score updates, commentary and highlights provided below. 

MORE: The youngest and oldest Socceroos of all time

Socceroos vs Ecuador final score

  1H 2H FT
Australia 1 0 1
Ecuador 0 2 2

Goals:

Lineups:

Australia XI (4-2-3-1): Gauci (GK) — Degenek, Wright, Deng, Behich — Irvine, Devlin  — Metcalfe, McGree, Goodwin — Borrello

Ecuador XI (3-4-3): Galindez (GK) — Torres, Pacho, Hincapie, — Preciado, Mendez, Caicedo, Estupinan — Franco, Rodriguez, Sornoza

Socceroos vs Ecuador goals, highlights, commentary

Fulltime: Socceroos 1-2 Ecuador

90th min: Five minutes of injury-time to come as the Socceroos are unable to make the most of a free-kick in a good position. 

89th min: McGree does well to worm his way into the box but Ecuador manage to block his attempted cross. 

87th min: Bos is found down the left wing but the offside flag goes up when it probably shouldn't have. 

83rd min: Kuol manages to get a cross in from the left wing but the keeper is able to collect ahead of a lurking Tilio. 

80th min: Australia looking short on ideas moving forward now as Ecuador look to see this one out. 

75th min: Ecuador have proven much tighter defensively this hafl as the Socceroos struggle to break them down. 

72nd min: Cummings releases Tilio down the right wing but the attacker can't make anything of it. 

69th min: The Socceroos bring on Garang Kuol and Jason Cummings in search of a response. 

65th min: GOAL! Ecuador go ahead following a corner. Debutant Pacho evades his man and powers a header past Guaci. 

62nd min: Another couples changes for the Socceroos as Kye Rowles and Marco Tilio are introduced. 

60th min: Ecuador all over the Socceroos at the moment, who have struggled to find any forward momentum since halftime. 

57th min: Nearly a mix up at the back for Australia as Deng and Gauci do just enough to stop a charging Rodriguez from seizing on a loose ball.

54th min: The Socceroos make a double substition as Jordan Bos comes on for his Socceroos debut alongside Aiden O'Neill. Behich and Devlin make way.

51st min: GOAL! Estupinan converts from the spot for Ecuador as Guaci goes the wrong way and he goes right down the middle. 

50th min: Ecuador win a penalty after a clear foul from Deng on Rodriguez in the box. 

48th min: Estupinan tries his luck from range but Gauci saves it comfortably. Quite a subdued start so far to this second 45 minutes. 

46th min: We are back underway at Marvel Stadium. No changes to either side at the break. 

Halftime: Socceroos 1-0 Ecuador

Australia take a deserved lead into the break. Both teams played aggressively in that first 45 minutes with Brandon Borrello finding the back of the net for the Socceroos. Ecuador threatened on numerous occassions but debutant Joe Gauci has proven a hard man to get past so far. A thoroughly entertaining first-half from Melbourne. 

45+3 min: Rodriguez tests Gauci for a final time this half after a quick Ecuador break but the Socceroos goalkeeper is equal to it. 

45th min: Three minutes of injury-time to come as McGree has a penalty claim waved away. Referee waves it away and there's no VAR to review what looked like a very likely spot-kick. 

42nd min: Ecuador within inches of equalising but Gauci and Deng do just enough to push the ball wide for a corner. 

41st min: The ball breaks for Ecuador in the final third as Franco pulls his shot just wide of the left post. 

39th min: Irvine the latest Socceroo to go down in pain after a heavy aerial duel. This friendly isn't lacking any fierceness. 

36th min: Estupinan does well to pick out Sornoza at the top of the Socceroos box but Deng is able to block the shot. 

35th min: McGree bursts down the left wing and looks to find Metcalfe at the far post but his cross is cut out by the keeper. 

29th min: Somehow Devlin walks away from all that with a heavily bandaged head and seems intent to play on...

26th min: Devlin slides in to a tackle but cops a knee to the face with blood quickly flowing from the Socceroo.

22nd min: Rodriguez muscles Deng off the ball and is through on goal for Ecuador but Gauci is once again on hand to make a strong save. A busy debut for the Adelaide keeper so far! 

21st min: Gauci punches a dangerous ball to the back post clear as Ecuador probe for a quick equaliser. 

19th min: Metcalfe nearly makes it two for Australia but he skies his effort after being picked out at the back post. 

16th min: GOAL! Borrello opens the scoring for the Socceroos. Goodwin hits the post with a shot from distance and the ball finds kindly to Borrello who guides the ball into the bottom left corner for his first international goal. The Wanderers forward has been electric since the first whistle and finished that one clinically. 

11th min: Behich loses the ball in his own box as Gauci is called into another early save. This one was much easier than his earlier stop but was assured nonetheless. 

10th min: Degenek whips in a dangerous cross for the Socceroos but Irvine can't keep his header down. 

7th min: Australia cough up possession in a dangerous position but Ecuador's resulting shot is blocked at the top of the box. 

4th min: A lively start here from the Socceroos and McGree in particular who fires a shot over the crossbar after a corner. Ecuador counter quickly though and Gauci makes a crucial save at his near post. 

2nd min: Australia pinch the ball in the middle of the pitch through McGree with the ball ending up at the feet of Irvine in the box but the midfielder can't make clean contact with the ball.

Kick off: We are underway at Marvel Stadium.

5 mins to kick off: The sides are out on the pitch with national anthems and the action to come. 

15 mins to kick off: Pitch being watered as the teams prepare to come out. A nice night in Melbourne with no rain and cool conditions right now. 

45 mins to kick off: Ecuador's starting side is also in with Felix Sanchez making several changes. 

70 mins to kick off: Graham Arnold has confirmed the Australia lineup for tonight and it's a Socceroos debut for goalkeeper Joe Gauci. Young midfielders Cameron Devlin and Connor Metcalfe also get rare starts. 

90 mins to kick off: The Socceroos won 3-1 in an entertaining clash on Friday night at CommBank Stadium. Relive all of the action below.

120 mins to kick off: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News live coverage of the Socceroos taking on Ecuador in Melbourne. Can Australia claim another win on home soil or will the South Americans bring them back down to earth?

Socceroos vs Ecuador lineups, team news

Socceroos coach Graham Arnold handed debuts to Aiden O'Neill and Alexander Robertson last time out so could look to give the likes of Jordan Bos and Nestory Irankunda their first minutes this time around. 

Arnold has hinted at several changes to his starting side on Tuesday night with Harry Souttar a definite absentee after being sent home early due to an ankle knock and he'll be replaced by Bailey Wright. 

Riley McGree missed the first friendly through illness and could be fit in time to feature on Tuesday night. 

Predicted Socceroos starting lineup (4-4-2): Ryan (GK) — Atkinson, Wright, Rowles, Bos — Borrello, Metcalfe, Devlin, Goodwin — McGree, Cummings

Ecuador travelled to Australia without captain Enner Valencia and they could have certainly used his experience in front of goal on Friday.  

Fellow attacker Jeremy Sarmiento was forced off in the first friendly after 29 minutes so isn't expected to feature in this next match with Alexander Alvarado his likely replacement. 

Young goalkeeper Moises Ramirez was a surprise starter in Sydney but Ecuador may revert to a more experienced No.1 in either Alexander Dominguez or Hernan Galindez. 

Predicted Ecuador starting lineup (4-3-3): Galindez (GK) — Preciado, Hincapie, Torres, Estupinan — Mendez, Caicedo, Cifuentes — Mena, Estrada, Alvarado

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How to watch Socceroos vs Ecuador

  • Date: Tuesday, March 28
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. AEDT 
  • Streaming: 10 Play, Paramount+
  • TV Channel: 10 Bold 

This match will be televised live and free across Australia on Network 10 via 10 Bold. 

Live streams will also be available on streaming services 10 Play and Paramount+. 

Joshua Thomas

Joshua Thomas Photo

Josh has been covering sport for nearly a decade now having fallen in love with football at a young age. A UTS graduate, Josh has previously worked for GOAL and now covers football closely for The Sporting News.