20th November, 2022
Ecuador striker Enner Valencia stroked home a 16th-minute penalty to score the first goal of the 2022 World Cup on Sunday.
Valencia coolly converted from the spot to put Ecuador 1-0 up against hosts Qatar after an incident-packed start to the tournament.
Minutes earlier, Valencia had seen what looked like an opening goal disallowed for a controversial offside following an intervention by VAR.
However, in the 32nd minute, Valencia compounded the woes for Qatar as he scored a powerful header to extend the lead.
Caicedo carries the ball right across the pitch before laying it back to Torres to whip in the first time.
It was a brilliant cross but an even better header from Valencia.
La Tri are two up at half-time and Qatar are facing a mountain now.
Valencia is now Ecuador’s all-time top scorer and has many World Cup goals as England legend Geoff Hurst.
Who is Enner Valencia?
Enner Remberto Valencia Lastra (born 4 November 1989) plays as a forward for Süper Lig club Fenerbahçe and captains the Ecuador national team.
Valencia has previously played for Emelec in Ecuador, where he won the 2013 Ecuadorian Serie A and was awarded the Copa Sudamericana Golden Boot in 2013.
Valencia also played for Pachuca in Mexico, being awarded the Liga MX Golden Boot in the 2014 Clausura tournament. He joined West Ham United for an estimated £12 million in July 2014.
At the international level, Valencia has earned over 70 caps for Ecuador since his debut in 2012.
He represented the nation at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the Copa América in 2015, 2016, 2019, and 2021.
With 37 goals, Valencia is Ecuador’s all-time top goalscorer.