DOHA (Reuters) – Netherlands play Ecuador in Doha in the World Cup on Friday.
When: Friday Nov. 25, 1900 local (1600 GMT/1100 ET)
Where: Khalifa International Stadium, Doha
Capacity: 40,000
Odds:
Netherlands win: 8/11
Ecuador win: 4/1
Draw: 5/2
Key stats:
* Netherlands have been runners-up at three World Cups and are competing in their 11th finals.
* They finished top of their World Cup qualifying group and are unbeaten in 16 games since their elimination at the last European Championship by the Czech Republic.
* Netherlands began their Group A campaign with a 2-0 victory over African champions Senegal.
* Ecuador are playing in their fourth World Cup with aspirations to surpass their previous best performance when they reached the last 16 in Germany in 2006.
* Ecuador secured South America’s last automatic qualifying spot by coming fourth in a perennially tough group, winning seven games and scoring 27 goals in the 18-match slog.
* Ecuador handed a first ever defeat to a World Cup host when they beat Qatar 2-0 in their opening Group A game.
Previous meetings:
The two nations have only played each other twice, both in friendlies. The Dutch won 1-0 in 2006 and they drew 1-1 in 2014.
(Reporting by Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by Ken Ferris)
