Future Arsenal twins impress at South American u17 Championship

Photo via idv.formativas on Instagram

In the first game of the tournament against Paraguay, Holger bagged a vital late goal in the 92nd minute, firing a free-kick (won by substitute Edwin) under the wall.

Holger had also won the free-kick leading to Ecuador’s equaliser 11 minutes earlier, with Edwin taking it. Edwin’s looping cross was headed back across by Deinner Ordonez, with Mathews Soto finishing the chance. The brothers certainly played a vital part in that opening-game win.

Edwin then started the second game against Colombia, with Holger coming on for the final 19 minutes, but neither could break the deadlock in a frustrating 0-0 draw.

But Holger again helped to make the difference in the third match against Uruguay, standing up his man on the left-wing before firing in a low cross for Steven Guerrero to score a 67th-minute winner in a 2-1 victory.

The one blot on the victory was that Holger picked up his second yellow card of the tournament, and was thus suspended for the final group game.

Fortunately, Edwin scored a curling effort from outside the penalty area as Ecuador won 3-1 against Chile.

The same player did then have a penalty saved later in the half, but it ultimately didn’t matter as Ecuador secured the three points and topped their group.

That sent Ecuador into the knockouts, where they faced off against Argentina in the semi-finals. Argentina took the lead, but Holger hit back by winning and converting a penalty for 1-1 in the 63rd minute.

Sadly, Argentina scored two late goals to eliminate Ecuador from the tournament, and the Quintero brothers both played less than an hour in the subsequent 1-0 third-place play-off defeat to Brazil.

Despite the disappointing ending to the tournament, the Quintero brothers can return to Ecuador and current club Independiente del Valle proud of their performances, with most of their team’s success stemming from their involvements.