Saints duo in Ecuador squad

ECUADOR boss Hernan Dario Gomez has included the Southampton duo of striker Agustin Delgaldo and midfielder Kleber Chala in his 18-man squad for Sunday's World Cup warm-up friendly against the United States in Birmingham, Alabama.

Delgado, who was top goal-scorer in the South American World Cup qualifiers with nine, is to train with his national squad but will likely not play in the friendly as he recovers from a knee operation he had last November.

The Ecuadorians, who are preparing for their first appearances in the finals in Japan and Korea this summer, will be without defender Ivan Hurtado for the friendly.

Ecuador's first-choice skipper was hurt in a domestic league match playing for Barcelona against Deportivo Quito last weekend, after colliding with international team-mate Edison Mendez.

20-year-old El Nacional defender Jorge Guagua comes into the squad for Hurtado, as he will look to impress Gomez for this summer's showpiece event.

Ecuador Squad 

Jose Cevallos (Barcelona), Geovanny Ibarra (El Nacional); Giovanni Espinoza (Aucas), Augusto Poroso (Emelec), Marlon Ayovi (Deportivo Quito), Raul Guerron (Deportivo Quito), Jorge Guagua (El Nacional); Luis Gomez (Barcelona), Alfonso Obregon (LDU Quito), Edwin Tenorio (Barcelona), Moises Candelario (Emelec), Edison Mendez (Deportivo Quito), Kleber Chala (Southampton), Juan Carlos Burbano (El Nacional); Carlos Tenorio (LDU Quito), Angel Fernandez (El Nacional), Agustin Delgado (Southampton), Ivan Kaviedes (Barcelona)