Ecuador World Cup soccer squad begins final training session

With 24 days to go until the start of soccer's World Cup Ecuador's national team has begun final training at the Eloy Alfaro Military School in Parcayacu, on the outskirts of Quito, local media reported on Tuesday.

The team will train until Sunday, and then travel on to the U.S. state of New Jersey, where they are due a friendly game with Colombia, on Monday.

Only Carlos Tenorio, who plays for Saudi Arabian team Al Saad, missed the first day. He arrives in Quito to join his 22 teammates on Tuesday night.

Pedro Mauricio Munoz, the recently-appointed coach, told media that the players would train in two shifts: a 9.30 a.m. shift which will be open to the press, and a closed-door afternoon training session. The final official photo session will be Saturday at 9.30 in the morning.

Besides Tenorio, the final squad of 23 includes five overseas players: Ulises Cruz, who plays for England's Aston Villa; Jaime Ivan Kaviedes, who plays for Argentina's Argentinos Juniors; Antonio Valencia, who plays for Spain's Recreativo de Huelva; and Ivan Hurtado, who has just come to the end of a contact with Saudi Arabia's Al Arabi.

Source: Xinhua