Seattle Sounders defender Xavier Arreaga scored his first career international goal in his 10th cap for Ecuador on Tuesday in a 6-1 rout over Colombia in CONMEBOL FIFA World Cup Qualifying. With La Tri already leading 3-0 in the 39th minute, Arreaga slotted home a close, one-timed finish.
Robert Arboleda, Ángel Mena, Michael Estrada, Gonzalo Plata and Pervis Estupiñán also found the score sheet for the hosts, while Everton midfielder James Rodríguez found the lone goal for Colombia on a penalty in first-half stoppage time.
Ecuador is third in the table with nine points from its first four matches.
After starting in Peru’s 2-0 loss to Chile on Friday, Sounders forward Raúl Ruidíaz came on as an 81st-minute substitute on Tuesday in La Blanquirroja’s 2-0 loss to Argentina. Nicolás González opened the scoring for La Albiceleste in the 17th minute before Inter Milan star Lautaro Martínez doubled the advantage in the 28th to seal all three points for the visitors.
Peru is winless in its opening four qualifying matches and is ninth in the table with just a single point.
Sounders midfielder Gustav Svensson, who captained Sweden for the first time ever in a 2-0 friendly loss to Denmark on Nov. 11, was an unused substitute in the Blågult’s 4-2 UEFA Nations League loss to France on Tuesday. He was also an unused sub in Sweden’s 2-1 win over Croatia on Saturday.
