Hosts Ecuador draw 2-2 with Uruguay in Women's Copa America opener
Ecuador found themselves a goal down inside 11 minutes after Belen Aquino whipped a shot from outside the box. They then conceded a penalty in the 53rd minute when Danna Pesantez fouled Pilar Gonzalez, with Pamela Gonzalez stepping up to make it 2-0 for Uruguay after lashing a shot into the top right corner.
Yannel Correa's own goal reduced Ecuador's deficit before Espinales finished neatly with a low shot to level the score and secure a point.
Ecuador pushed for the winner but Uruguay goalkeeper Agustina Sanchez stood tall with a pair of crucial interventions, keeping out a Nayely Bolanos effort and a Karen Flores strike in the closing minutes.
Ecuador had the lion's share of possession and six shots on target, three more than Uruguay, but could not find a way past Sanchez, with Stefany Cedeno and Milagro Barahona also coming close.
Ecuador next face Peru on Tuesday, while Uruguay play Argentina. Group A is rounded out by Chile, who open against Peru on Saturday.
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay and Venezuela are in Group B. Holders Brazil are the heavy favourites, having won the competition a record eight times.
Both Ecuador and Uruguay were eliminated in the group stage of the 2022 edition of Women's Copa America.
The 10th edition runs from July 11 to August 2.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
36 minutes ago
- CNA
Reactions to England winning Women's Euros
Reaction to England winning the Women's European Championship final on Sunday. ENGLAND COACH SARINA WIEGMAN We said we can win by any means and that's what we have shown again today. I am so proud of the team and the staff. It is incredible. BRITAIN'S KING CHARLES For more years than I care to remember, England fans have sung that famous chant "football's coming home". As you return home with the trophy you won at Wembley three years ago, it is a source of great pride that, through sporting skill and awesome teamwork, the Lionesses have made those words ring true. Well done, Lionesses. The next task is to bring home the World Cup in 2027 if you possibly can! ENGLAND CAPTAIN LEAH WILLIAMSON Total disbelief but at the same time I knew it was going to happen. Playing for this England team is unbelievable. You cannot put us down. SPANISH MIDFIELDER AITANA BONMATI I don't have much emotion left to be honest. I have emptied myself of emotion. We are all exhausted. We have spent many days here. I have to say sorry because it was my fault in the end. But I was not able to score it (her penalty). Congratulations to our rivals. In my opinion, we were superior in the match. On some occasions, it is not enough in football. ENGLAND DEFENDER LUCY BRONZE We never lost belief in ourselves, there was a lot of noise on the outside. To go through 120 minutes back-to-back and to win on penalties in two of those games is unbelievable. ENGLAND STRIKER CHLOE KELLY I am so proud of this team. So grateful to wear this badge. So proud to be English. ENGLAND GOALKEEPER HANNAH HAMPTON This team is unbelievable. Incredible. We can show we can come back from 1-0. I lost track of what was going on in that shootout, as soon as I saw her run off I knew we had won. UK PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER: Champions! Congratulations Lionesses — what a team. What a game. What drama. You dug deep when it mattered most and you've made the nation proud. History makers. LONDON MAYOR SADIQ KHAN You've made London, and the entire nation, incredibly proud. It's coming home. An amazing team, an amazing tournament! So proud of the Lionesses for another history-making performance on the world stage. Their heart, grit and determination has inspired a new generation. SPANISH PRIME MINISTER PEDRO SANCHEZ
CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
Kelly the hero as England sink Spain in shootout to win Euro 2025
BASEL, Switzerland :Chloe Kelly fired in the decisive spot-kick as England beat Spain 3-1 in a penalty shootout to win Euro 2025 on Sunday, successfully defending the title they won three years ago after an enthralling game that ended 1-1 after extra time. It was another spectacular turnaround from Sarina Wiegman's side, who came back from two goals down to beat Sweden in a shootout in the last eight and beat Italy in the semi-finals with another extra-time goal from Kelly. World and Nations League Spain made the breakthrough in the 25th minute as Ona Batlle crossed and the England defence was caught flat-footed, allowing Mariona Caldentey to head the ball past Hannah Hampton. With Lauren James struggling due to an ankle inury, England were struggling, but Kelly came off the bench to replace her just before the break and it proved an inspired substitution from Wiegman. Kelly helped close down England's porous left flank and provided the cross for Alessia Russo to level in the 57th minute, the forward heading home her inch-perfect assist. Spain continued to monopolise the ball but could not find another goal before the end of normal time, and the story continued through extra time as they probed and probed, but could not break the English defence as the game finished 1-1. The Spaniards got the shootout off to a great start when Cata Coll stopped Beth Mead's effort, but England keeper Hannah Hampton saved from Caldentey and from Aitana Bonmati to put England in the driving seat. Coll got Spain back into it with another one-handed stop to block Leah Williamson, but Spain substitute Salma Paralluelo hit her kick wide of the target. That set the stage for Kelly to repeat her 2022 heroics, when she scored the extra-time winner over Germany that won them the title at Wembley. KELLY PRANCING Kelly made her trademark prancing run-up before smashing the ball into the net and peeling away in ecstasy to celebrate with her teammates in front of the England fans. "I'm so proud, so proud of this team, so grateful to wear this badge, and I'm so proud to be English ... I was cool, I was composed and I knew I was going to hit the back of the net," Kelly said. The final was the first time since the inaugural edition in 1984, in which England were beaten by Sweden, that the game was decided by a penalty shootout. "Unbelievable, incredible, showing throughout this tournament we can come back when we go a goal down, and we have that grit. We've got English blood in us, so we never say die and we just keep going, and we did that today," an elated Hampton said.
CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
England beat Spain in penalty shootout to win Euro 2025
BASEL, Switzerland :England beat Spain 3-1 in a penlty shootout to win Euro 2025 on Sunday, successfully defending the title they won in 2022 after an enthralling encounter. The match ended 1-1 after extra time. Spain dominated possession and made the breakthrough in the 25th minute as Ona Batlle crossed and the England defence was caught flat-footed, allowing Mariona Caldentey to head the ball past Hannah Hampton. England levelled in the 57th minute, Alessia Russo heading home from a Chloe Kelly cross. With the game deadlocked at 1-1 after 90 minutes and extra time, England's Chloe Kelly netted the winner in the penalty shootout.
