The vibrant team, now heading to their fifth tournament appearance, danced over the finish line, clinching the precious point necessary to solidify their position.

Sitting pretty at second place in the fiercely competitive South American qualifiers, Ecuador boasts 25 points from a nail-biting 16 matches. They join the football royalty of Argentina and Brazil in booking a golden ticket to the grandest stage of them all. This triumphant achievement is all the more stunning considering the rocky road they traveled, compounded by a shaky start marred by a three-point deduction. The deduction, owing to the unfortunate passport missteps involving defender Byron Castillo, initially cast a shadow over their journey.

The goalless clash with Peru was a battlefield of passion and grit, with both teams playing their hearts out in a relentless struggle for supremacy.  At the end, Perù have still very slight hopes to remain on running for qualification.