Ecuador have dismissed head coach Felix Sanchez Bas following their 4-2 penalty shootout defeat to Argentina in the Copa America quarter-finals, Soccernet.football reports.
La Tricolor needed a stoppage time equalizer from Kevin Rodriguez to cancel out Lisandro Martinez’s 35th minute header and send the tie straight to penalties where they eventually fell short.
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez pulled off two magnificent stops to deny both Angel Mena and Alan Minda from six yards to render Messi’s miss insignificant and ensure progression for the defending champions.
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Speaking after the defeat, Sanchez chose to focus on the team’s achievements at the tournament.
“We managed to advance from the group stage to the knockouts,” he said. “I have congratulated the players even if we weren’t able to progress.
“I think they deserve the credit, that is my opinion, but I think that in the next edition of this tournament, we’ll get here with a more experienced team.
“These are very young players. Maybe the results were unfair, but I know that we have to believe in this group of players.”
Sanchez, who took over in 2023 on a four-year contract after leading Qatar to their first Asian Cup title in 2019, has been relieved of his duties.
This decision comes despite an impressive performance in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, where the team currently sits fifth, ahead of Brazil, Chile, and Peru.
In a statement, Ecuador’s Football Federation (FEF) said: “We thank Felix and his coaching staff for their work and professionalism and wish him success in his future endeavours.”
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