De La Cruz included in Ecuador squad
Wednesday, 10 May 2006 10:15Aston Villa full-back Ulises de la Cruz has been named in Ecuador's provisional 23-man squad for this summer's World Cup finals.
Ecuador finished in third place in the South American qualifying group, behind Brazil and Argentina.
Their FIFA world ranking of 39 shows the progress they have made and any side which has beaten Brazil cannot be taken lightly.
Ecuador, who will face Costa Rica, Poland and hosts Germany in Group A, are the first South American nation to announce their squad for the showpiece event.
Ecuador squad: Edwin Villafuerte (Deportivo Quito), Cristian Mora (Liga Deportiva Universitaria), Damian Lanza (Aucas); Ivan Hurtado (Al Arabi), Giovanny Espinoza, Paul Ambrossi, Neicer Reasco (all Liga Deportiva Universitaria), Ulises de la Cruz (Aston Villa), Jorge Guagua (El Nacional), Jose Luis Perlaza (Olmedo); Marlon Ayovi, Luis Fernando Saritama (both Deportivo Quito), Edwin Tenorio (Barcelona), Edison Mendez, Patricio Urrutia (both Liga Deportiva Universitaria), Cristian Lara, Segundo Castillo (both El Nacional), Luis Antonio Valencia (Recreativo Huelva); Felix Borja, Cristian Benitez (both El Nacional), Ivan Kaviedes (Argentinos Juniors), Agustin Delgado (Liga Deportiva Universitaria), Carlos Tenorio (Al Saad).
