Ecuador currently is in third place in the CONMEBOL table, two points shy of second place Colombia. Both teams appear to be in a position to secure a spot in Brazil should they continue to earn positive results.
However, should they lose one or two matches in the coming months both Chile, currently in fourth, and Uruguay, currently in fifth position, would have an opportunity to overtake one or both teams.
Ecuador and Colombia both look like good bets to appear in the World Cup next summer, but Uruguay is lurking in fifth place, ready to take advantage of anyone who slips up in the top four. A loss could put either -- and particularly Ecuador -- in hot water come October.
It's been an up and down campaign for Ecuador, but they've made the most of their home games. They had a rough June with a road loss to Peru and a home draw against Argentina, but they've been victorious in all of their other home games and own road draws against Uruguay and Venezuela. Colombia have put in some great performances at home, but did lose to Argentina and give up a surprise draw to Venezuela.
Colombia is loaded up top and has had to leave out some quality strikers, as always. Dorlan Pabon and Carlos Darwin Quintero have been left off this squad, as has red-hot Fredy Montero, who can't stop scoring for Sporting Lisbon. There are no big injuries for the Colombians, who have a deep squad in all areas. The same goes for Ecuador, who have no injury concerns to speak of.
Match date/time: Friday, 4:30 p.m. ET
It's been an shaky qualifying campaign for Ecuador, but have a solid home record which has given them their current position. In June they lost away to Peru and drew at home against Argentina, but they've been victorious in all of their other home games and own road draws against Uruguay and Venezuela.
This will be the first competitive match for Ecuador since the sudden and tragic death of Christian Benitez and will see will see Felipe Caicedo alone up top.
The striker was a fitness doubt in the loss to Peru thanks to a muscle strain, but appeared in the second half of that fixture and is expected to start against Colombia.
Colombia have put in some great performances at home, but did lose to Argentina and give up a surprise draw to Venezuela.
Colombia is loaded up top and has had to leave out some quality strikers. Dorlan Pabon and Carlos Darwin Quintero have been left off this squad and also Fredy Montero, who has been a consistent scorer at Sporting Lisbon. There are no big injuries for the Colombians, who have a deep squad in all areas. The same goes for Ecuador who has no injury concerns to speak of.
