Ecuador’s journey in the Kirin Cup ended with a penalty-shootout defeat to Panama after the sides finished level at 1-1 in regulation time, a result that left the South American side short of the final step but not without encouragement from its Argentine coach, Marcelo Gallardo.
La Tri matched Panama over the 90 minutes of the Asian tournament, only for the contest to be settled from the spot. The defeat on penalties denied Ecuador the result it wanted, yet Gallardo took a positive view of the display and expressed satisfaction with the work of his players.
A constructive afternoon despite the shootout
For Ecuador, the draw offered another international examination far from home, against Panamanian opposition accustomed to testing itself across the Americas. The shootout brought the immediate disappointment, but Gallardo’s assessment centred on the performance rather than the final method of defeat.
The Kirin Cup therefore closes with a mixed outcome for La Tri: a 1-1 match in normal time, a loss in the penalty contest, and a coach convinced that his squad produced a worthwhile performance on Asian soil.
