In Pictures

Photos: Valencia strikes again as Ecuador draw with Netherlands

Ecuador forward Enner Valencia became the leading scorer at this World Cup, bagging his third goal of the tournament in the 1-1 draw with the Netherlands.

ecuador celebrate scoring a goal — Ecuador players celebrate after Enner Valencia scores their first goal [Hannah Mckay/Reuters]

Inspired by captain Enner Valencia, Ecuador impressed again at the World Cup on Friday in a 1-1 draw with the favoured Netherlands in a game the South American side deserved to win.

Valencia has become a talisman on the biggest stage and his 49th-minute leveller against the Dutch made him the top scorer at this World Cup with his third goal in Qatar.

It also extended the 33-year-old veteran’s streak to scoring all six Ecuador goals at World Cups since the 2014 tournament.

The result eliminated host nation Qatar just six days after the start of its home World Cup.

The draw gave both the Netherlands and Ecuador one point apiece to move them to four points in Group A. It left Qatar with zero points after losing 3-1 to Senegal hours earlier.

Ecuador dominated much of the game after Cody Gakpo fired the Dutch into a sixth-minute lead. Valencia levelled the score by putting the ball into an empty net after Pervis Estupinan’s shot was pushed away by Dutch goalkeeper Andries Noppert.

Ecuador almost got a deserved winning goal minutes later when the Netherlands crossbar was rattled by a rising left-foot shot from Gonzalo Plata.

Ecuador may have to do it without Valencia. He was stretchered off the field in the 90th minute. He was able to get up and walk to the bench, where a bag of ice was taped to his right leg.

A woman holds the flags from Netherlands and Ecuador prior to the start of the match. [Natacha Pisarenko/AP Photo]

An Ecuador fan with a painted face cheers inside the stadium before the match. [Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters]

The Dutch side came out hot with an early goal by Cody Gakpo. [Martin Meissner/AP Photo]

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup — Netherlands' Teun Koopmeiners is pictured in action with Ecuador's Moises Caicedo and Jhegson Mendez as Ecuador began to play with more urgency following the Dutch goal. [Marko Djurica/Reuters]

Valencia almost scores at the other end from a tight angle, but Netherlands' Andries Noppert makes a big stop. [Pedro Nunes/Reuters]

Estupiñán found the net, but Porozo’s blocking of the keeper’s view means the goal is ruled out. — In the final seconds of the first half, Pervis Estupinan’s shot found the net, but Jackson Porozo's blocking of the Dutch keeper’s view meant the goal was ruled out. [Pedro Nunes/Reuters]

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Group A - Netherlands v Ecuador — Enner Valencia put his side level with a tap-in. With that goal, Valencia becomes the World Cup’s leading goalscorer, with three under his belt so far at this tournament. [Pedro Nunes/Reuters]

Ecuador's head coach Gustavo Alfaro reacts as his side dominates the match. [Martin Meissner/AP Photo]

Ecuador's Felix Torres, rear, and Memphis Depay of the Netherlands challenge for the ball. [Martin Meissner/AP Photo]

Frankie de Jong of the Netherlands, centre — The wide runs from Ecuador caused all sorts of problems for the Netherlands as the Ecuadorian side dominated much of the play. [Darko Vojinovic/AP Photo]

Enter Valencia — Ecuador's Enner Valencia lies injured on the pitch, prior to being taken off on a stretcher. [Martin Meissner/AP Photo]