World Cup highlights Ecuador ties Netherlands; host Qatar eliminated; Iran stuns Wales

Ecuadoran captain Enner Valencia voluntarily went down with an apparent lower leg injury late in the second half. Play continued as Valencia remained on the ground for some time, but Valencia was treated and carried off the field in the 90th minute. There will be at least six minutes of stoppage time.

More substitutions for the Netherlands.

Goal scorer Cody Gakpo comes off for striker Wout Weghorst. Marten de Roon replaces Teun Koopmeiners in the midfield.

Cody Gakpo — who has been quiet for most of this second half — had a chance on a chip shot in the 73rd minute but was flagged as offside as he lobbed it wide of the net.

Meanwhile, Ecuador has made its first change, with Jeremy Sarmiento on for Michael Estrada.

The Netherlands made its second substitution of the match. Forward Steven Berghuis came on for midfielder Davy Klaassen.

Ecuador has found its rhythm — and nearly found the back of the net in the 59th minute.

Enner Valencia’s close-range shot was blocked and Gonzalo Plata’s follow-up attempt hit the crossbar.

Ecuador midfielder Jhegson Méndez was handed a yellow card in the 57th minute. As it’s his second of the tournament, he’ll miss his team’s final group-stage match against Senegal on Tuesday.

Enner Valencia now has three goals in Qatar, the most of any player. The 33-year-old Ecuadoran captain has now scored his country’s past six World Cup goals — a fact made even more impressive when you remember Ecuador’s last World Cup before this one was in 2014.

Dutch goalkeeper Andries Noppert denied Enner Valencia in the 32nd minute. The officials denied Pervis Estupiñán’s would-be equalizer for Ecuador just before halftime.

Neither prevented Valencia from leveling the score in the 49th minute, after Noppert saved an Estupiñán shot from just inside the area, and the Ecuadoran captain followed to jab the ball into the net.

Goal! Ecuador has its equalizer, courtesy of a tap-in by Enner Valencia in the 49th minute. Things are even in Rayyan.

The Netherlands opens the second half with a swap, adding dynamic forward Memphis Depay in place of Steven Bergwijn. Depay has a nagging thigh injury and began the day on the bench.

If the score line holds or Ecuador keeps it to a one-goal loss, here’s how Group A would play out:

• The Netherlands advances to the knockouts.
• Qatar is eliminated.
• Ecuador would need a draw or win vs. Senegal on Tuesday to advance.

If Ecuador loses, 2-0, then Senegal would advance with a draw vs. Ecuador.

Emergent Dutch star Cody Gakpo lifted the Netherlands to an early edge in the first half of Friday’s contest against Ecuador. The Dutch lead 1-0 as they look to seize control of Group A.

Gakpo’s sixth-minute score, his second of the tournament, was a beauty, rifled just inside the post, beyond the outstretched goalkeeper.

Enner Valencia, who scored both Ecuadoran goals in its opening game against Qatar, had one of his team’s best chances in the 32nd minute, but his shot from outside the box was saved. That followed a lively sequence through the 24th-minute mark when Ecuador created several chances that were repelled by the Dutch defense.