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There was chaotic hilarity in Ecuador's 1-1 draw with Peru on Wednesday night after the visitors conceded while playing with 10 men for a period in the second half - following one player's shirt going missing.
Ecuador went 1-0 up early on through Michael Estrada but a strike from Edison Flores in the 69th minute ensured the spoils were shared.
The goal came during a FOUR minute spell where Ecuador were a man down after Ayrton Preciado suffered a fractured tibia and had to be stretchered off.
But Diego Palacios, the man who was poised to replace him, lost his shirt on the bench and there was a lengthy delay as staff hurriedly tried to find it.
A kitman had to go back to the dressing room to find a shirt but Palacios, who plays for Los Angeles FC, was genuinely stood there without a top on for 240 seconds.
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He eventually entered the fray after the shambles but for Ecuador it was a huge missed opportunity as a win would have secured their ticket to a fourth World Cup.
Manager Gustavo Alfaro bemoaned the costly incident which led to the Peru equaliser.
"There was a detail, because when Ayrton was injured, I wanted to put on Palacios, the shirt disappeared and that's why we couldn't make the change," he said post-match.
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"And at that moment when they bring the shirt, the referee had already set the ball in motion and we were missing a player, and that's where the play came from."
Ecuador are currently third in the South American table, three points ahead of fourth-placed Uruguay.
They play away to Paraguay in their next game in March and will look to secure qualification for the tournament in Qatar.
Let's hope Palacios remembers where he left his shirt when that game rolls around.
Topics: Football World Cup
Josh Lawless