A highly entertaining game ended in a fair draw, with Lambert, Barkley and Oxlade-Chamberlain shining, and Sterling seeing red
In pictures: all the best images from England's draw
4.50pm ET
Four goals, two of them absolute belters, and a couple of red cards. If the World Cup serves up a few matches like this, we'll be doing OK. A great evening for Rickie Lambert, Ross Barkley and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, a good one for Wayne Rooney, and one to forget for James Milner and Raheem Sterling. Roy Hodgson should be happier than he is sad. Anyway, at nearly 5pm in Florida, it's time to go home. Does anybody need a lift back to Del Boca Vista?
4.49pm ET
90 min +2: Arroyo tries to blast the ball straight through the England wall. Nope!
4.48pm ET
90 min +1: Ibarra races off down a blind alley. He's bodychecked by Milner, tracking back. That'll be a free kick for Ecuador, late on, in a very dangerous position just to the right of the England box.
4.47pm ET
90 min: Saritama replaces Gruezo. "Fair to say Jair Murrufo is nothing like Howard Webb (5 min). Mr Webb would have only sent off the Liverpool man." Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for the possibly partial Ricky Gill, he's here all week, try the lamb stew.
4.44pm ET
87 min: Jack Wilshere is limping. Is this news? He's replaced by Lallana.
4.43pm ET
86 min: Today's early bird attendance is 21,534. The Miami Dolphins wouldn't stand for this.
4.43pm ET
85 min: Now it's England's turn to stroke it around awhile. They're going nowhere, but everyone seems happy enough with the draw. That double sending-off seems to have taken the wind out of everyone's sails.
4.41pm ET
84 min: And a double switch for England: Barkley and Lambert off, Henderson and Welbeck on.
4.40pm ET
83 min: Now the other Valencia departs, but not in shame. Enner is swapped for Ibarra.
4.38pm ET
80 min: All that nonsense has no bearing on the World Cup. Still, what a pair.
4.37pm ET
78 min: A PAIR OF RED CARDS!!! Antonio Valencia can't get clear down the right again. Sterling slides in, getting a little bit of the ball, but more of the man, straight through from behind. Valencia springs up and clatters Sterling on the back of his neck, then grabs his throat. The pair are shown red, and rightly so: Sterling had both feet off the ground and didn't look in total control of that rash challenge, while Valencia raised his arms. Liverpool and Manchester United, eh? What can you do?
4.34pm ET
76 min: Ecuador are pinging it around in a very attractive style right now. Antonio Valencia seeing an awful lot of the ball down the right, but Stones sticks to him well. He can't get clear.
4.32pm ET
74 min: Shaw is replaced by Stones. England are being pushed back right now, struggling to retain possession. Important to remember that this is being treated as a run-out for a sizeable proportion of the squad.
4.32pm ET
73 min: Ecuador have the old tails up now. Antonio Valencia nearly breaks clear down the right, but Shaw does well to hold him off. Arroyo then performs an elaborate stepover down the left, and is hacked unceremoniously to the ground for his cheek by an irate Milner. What buffoonery from Milner, who has had a shocker, admittedly out of position. He should be booked for that, but the USA's Howard Webb (see 5 mins) keeps his card in his pocket. Lucky Milner.
4.29pm ET
The ball at the sub's feet, just to the right of the England D. He's barely been on the pitch a minute. Milner doesn't close him down. Arroyo drops a shoulder, nudges the ball an inch to his right, and with next to no backlift, blasts a rising shot into the top right. We'll do well to see a better goal at the World Cup. That was simply astonishing, because in truth Milner hadn't given him that much space to work with.
4.27pm ET
68 min: Arroyo comes on for Montero, who may soon receive a shoeing from his manager.
4.26pm ET
67 min: England are lucky to still be ahead. Montero streaks down the left in acres, past a flat-footed Smalling. He should shoot, but with two players to his right, lays off. Problem is, his pass across is worse than useless. Enner Valencia, the ball behind him, drags a shot onto the right-hand post, and Jones slides in to bundle clear. What a defensive farce. And not much better from Ecuador in attack, truth be told.
4.24pm ET
66 min: Another lull. Everyone's still in credit.
4.22pm ET
64 min: Oxlade-Chamberlain is replaced - Roy Hodgson wrapping his star performer in cotton wool, as to be fair to the lad he might have twisted a knee - by debutant Jon Flanagan. Seconds later, Rooney is also taken off, Sterling coming on in his stead.
4.21pm ET
62 min: Some komik kutz as Gruezo kicks the back of Oxlade-Chamberlain's ankle, then rolls into the back of the England winger. Both adults, grown men remember, roll around on the floor like they're in a playground sandpit. Get up, please!
4.19pm ET
61 min: The Milner-as-right-back experiment hasn't worked. He plays an awful blind pass back down the Ecuadorian left, and nearly lets Enner Valencia clear on goal. He'll need to thank Smalling and Jones after the match, if not sooner, for closing the Ecuador striker.
4.17pm ET
60 min: A bit of a lull. To be fair, this has been a pretty entertaining friendly. Both sides are doing their best to turn it on. They've earned their wee breather.
4.15pm ET
57 min: Oxlade-Chamberlain has been brilliant tonight. He shows the ball to Gruezo down the left, then turns the burners on and leaves the hapless midfielder bouncing around on his buttocks as he makes off along the touchline. He looks to have won a corner, but the referee's not giving that one either.
4.13pm ET
55 min: Montero jigs down the left. He's in a lot of space. He stands one up in the middle, but Foster clears. England fly up the other end through Oxlade-Chamberlain, who tries to feed Barkley down the right, but his pass is pinballed back to Lambert on the left-hand corner of the area. His confidence flying, Lambert sends a fast first-time curler towards the bottom right, but the effort's an inch or so wide. Fingertipped by Banguera? Not sure. Who'd be a referee? England don't get the corner, anyway.
4.11pm ET
54 min: That goal really was a belter. Rooney runs at Ecuador while they're still reeling, but gets nowhere fast.
4.10pm ET
What a goal this is! It's mainly about Ross Barkley, but then again it's not. You'll see what I mean. He turns down the inside left and goes on a George Best-esque saunter down the channel, before gliding infield. He shapes to shoot - it would be some solo goal - but decides to lay off to the right, where Lambert stands waiting. Lambert takes one swing of his right leg, and launches a low fizzer into the bottom left, across the keeper, with the outside of his boot. What a finish! But what a run by Barkley. Who to give the most credit to? Good luck with making that decision.
4.08pm ET
50 min: Mendez replaces Noboa.
4.07pm ET
48 min: A nice ebb and flow to this half already. Oxlade-Chamberlain nearly sashays his way into the Ecuadorian area, but is bundled off the ball at the last. Then Antonio Valencia attempts a cross from the right, not once but twice, but his Manchester United team-mate Jones clears with a John Terry style diving header (i.e. he's oscillating horizontally about a foot off the ground).
4.05pm ET
47 min: Barkley looks to burst forward but he's bundled over by Gruezo. Lampard's quick free kick is a nonsense, but England regain possession. Rooney whipped a cross in from the left for Oxlade-Chamberlain, who twists at the far post but can't wriggle free to get a shot away. The Arsenal winger has played well tonight. "Congrats to Ox on earning a starting place against Italy," writes Steve Dickens, "and to Jones on blagging a free holiday to Brazil."
4.02pm ET
And we're off again! England are out early, and are made to wait by Ecuador. They eventually turn up, having made one change: Caicedo off, Rojas on. England get the ball rolling again. "If you didn't go with the Timberline chilli and sweet potatoes," writes Erik Petersen, "you're a damnable fool."
3.53pm ET
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3.47pm ET
And that's that. A half of football that was very much a mixed bag for both sides. The pair of them look decent on the attack, not so great when they have some mopping up to do. "I blame Paul Scholes, England have clearly listened his call for them to play like Liverpool," writes Nick Honeywell. "Silly England."
3.46pm ET
45 min: Milner might not be much cop as a full back, but he knows what he's doing down the other end. A lovely reverse pass down the right releases Oxlade-Chamberlain into the area. Oxlade-Chamberlain hammers a low shot towards the near corner, but Banguera parries and Erazo hacks clear.
3.45pm ET
44 min: Rooney, who isn't exactly sticking to his left-wing beat, has a dig from distance down the inside right, but his shot, drifting towards the top left, is plucked from the sky by Banguera.
3.44pm ET
43 min: Milner and Barkley both snooze in the middle of the park. The former's lazy pass doesn't reach the latter, who fails to react in any way. Ecuador flood upfield. Enner Valencia should do better down the inside-left channel, as he reaches the area, but Smalling tracks back and tackles before the striker can get a shot away. Valencia should have made Foster work there.
3.42pm ET
40 min: Antonio Valencia sprays a long diagonal pass, right to left, and nearly releases Montero down the wing. Milner is all over the shop, miles out of position. The ball's too heavy and flies out for a goal kick, but Milner, who is in fairness a midfield player, is getting bossed here. Those wishing for the demise of England's Glen Johnson should be careful what they wish for.
3.39pm ET
37 min: Lampard hesitates to the right of the England D. Suddenly surrounded by Caicedo and Enner Valencia, he's fortunate the former gets impatient and decides to hack away at his ankle. For a second, England looked like they were in trouble, and once again it would have been self-inflicted. From the free kick, England flood up the other end, where Barkley fizzes a low shot inches wide from 25 yards. This game is a lot of fun. More fun for the neutral than any supporters of England or Ecuador, I'll be bound, as they might have spotted one or two flaws with their respective teams. But the overall point stands.
3.36pm ET
35 min: Not that it necessarily matters, of course. Shaw makes good down the left and slips a low cross into the area. Rooney slides in with peg out, but can only guide the ball wide right of the target. More than half a chance to give England the lead there.
3.35pm ET
33 min: Let's not forget the state of this England defence. Barkley is robbed in the centre circle, and the ball's hoicked down the middle. Smalling is playing Enner Valencia onside, but miles from the play. Valencia is one on one with the advancing Foster, who comes out from his box at the speed of Toni Schumacher but happily without the murderous intent. Valencia tries to loop the ball over the keeper from the edge of the area but his effort is well wide right. The England back line is a complete joke tonight.
3.31pm ET
Oxlade-Chamberlain, fed into space by Milner, whips a ball into the Ecuadorian area from the right. A scramble by the left-hand post. Lambert, with his back to goal, chests down - or does he use an arm? Anyway, he backheels against the left-hand post from six yards. Unlucky. He's about to sweep home the rebound when Rooney gets there first, and smacks the ball home professionally. Rooney might have been a smidgen offside there, but there's no flag.
3.28pm ET
28 min: For those of you who prefer pictures to words, there's some Looking Fun to be had here, in our ever-expanding gallery.
3.27pm ET
25 min: Lampard, 30 yards out, fires one towards the top right. Banguera is behind it all the way, and turns the ball over the bar. The corner's easily dealt with. "The retired denizens (c/k/a 'seniors') of 'Greater' Miami are preparing for 'supper' at one of the endless buffets set up to cater to their weird schedule," suggests Lou Roper, re today's attendance. "Who has time for James Milner at right back or Rooney on the left when when you have to in bed by 8pm?"
3.24pm ET
23 min: England may have decided that the best form of defence is attack. Barkley goes on a long, determined slalom down the inside-right channel. Upon reaching the area, he feeds Oxlade-Chamberlain, who goes on a baroque ramble. He turns around and around, and eventually bursts into space along the byline, pulling the ball back for Barkley, who has been lurking and is preparing to shoot from 12 yards. But Montero, tracking back, slides in to deflect the pass away from Barkley and out for a corner. Rooney plants a header well wide right of goal from the set piece. That's much better from England, who have looked fresh in attack. Let's just ignore what's going on down the other end of the field.
3.21pm ET
21 min: Montero zips past Milner down the right. He's clear in the area. Foster comes out to smother a shot from a tight angle. This has been a pretty good game for the much-maligned Glen Johnson so far.
3.20pm ET
19 min: Milner falls over while jogging up the right wing. Montero makes off with the ball. Ecuador are three on two, but Montero plays a pass inside behind Caicedo. All-round haplessness, but it's England who will be more concerned about the way this is panning out.
3.18pm ET
17 min: More information you're already fully aware of: England are a shambles at the back. Smalling drifts an uncertain header back down the Ecuadorian right. It's not reaching Foster, who has come to collect. Enner Valencia nearly rounds the keeper, but has to check. The ball's shuttled back to the edge of the area, where Gruezo takes a batter. Foster smothers a shot that'd have crept into the bottom-right corner.
3.17pm ET
16 min: A couple of corners in a row for Ecuador, down the left. The second forces England into Keystone Kops mode, Smalling and Wilshere taking wild hacks at the ball to clear a Guagua lump into the box, which they eventually do.
3.15pm ET
14 min: England are passing it around, a lot, without really going anywhere. Then, all of a sudden, they spring Ecuador open with a bit of Barkley brilliance. He's got his back to goal, to the left of the D, and backheels a pass down the channel to release Rooney. England's all-new ersatz winger whips a ball through the six-yard box with the outside of his boot, but there's no England attacker gambling. So close to the equaliser. Telling you nothing you don't know already, but Ross Barkley is a player.
3.12pm ET
10 min: England respond well, back on the front foot. Rooney pitching-wedges a pass down the left, and nearly releases Shaw, but the Saints-for-now youngster is a foot offside, and can't quite control anyway. England will wonder how they're behind, because they've had most of the play. The sublime beauty of soccer, right here.
3.10pm ET
This goal is brilliant, and as English as they come. Ayovi makes a bit of space for himself down the left, and whips a ball into the area. On the penalty spot, it's Enner Valencia, who thumps a header into the top-left corner. That's a stunning header! Foster stands around spinning for a while. When he stops, he looks confused. Either that, or dizzy. Possibly both.
3.08pm ET
7 min: Lambert and Oxlade-Chamberlain exchange passes down the right. The Ox pulls the ball back from the byline for Lambert, who flips it inside for Lampard, racing into the area. Lampard tries to steer one into the top left from the inside-right channel, but the effort flies wide left.
3.07pm ET
6 min: A bit of time for Lambert to take possession of the ball, turn, and slide a clever pass down the inside-right channel. He releases Barkley into the area, but the Everton prodigy is an inch or two offside. The correct decision, but that's nice football from England. That's nice football from England: we have to say it while we can.
3.05pm ET
5 min: It's all England right now. Ecuador have hardly touched the thing. France, Switzerland and Honduras, Ecuador's Group E opponents, can simmer down. "Jair Maruffo? Really?" splutters Daniel Stauss, taking one look at the name of tonight's official. "How are referees for international friendlies chosen? Maruffo works in MLS, and he's one of the better MLS refs, but I'm not so sure I'd want him in charge of a friendly right before a World Cup. He has a tendency to let a lot go right up until the last 15 minutes or so, when he discovers much to his chagrin that he has a whistle in his hand and feels the need to make up for lost time." He sounds like a more entertaining version of Howard Webb, of tinpot nation England, and a cards-when-the-mood-takes-him approach hasn't done him any harm. Hopefully this'll develop into a free-for-all, then. A few haymakers and chest-high tackles, please! Everyone loves a donnybrook.
3.03pm ET
2 min: England have started strongly. Barkley works a ball down the inside-left channel for Wilshere, who'd be clear on goal were it not for a last-ditch slide from Gruezo. Another corner on the left, another spectacular punch from Banguera.
3.03pm ET
30 seconds or so: Lampard hoicks the ball forward, straight down the middle. Rooney finds himself clear in the area, but his lack of confidence becomes immediately apparent, as he lets the ball roll under his feet, allowing Erazo to slide in and bundle the ball out for a corner on the left. Banguera clears with a spectacular punch.
3.01pm ET
And we're off! Ecuador get the ball rolling, as a few cheers echo round this great stadium. "Don't blame my fellow Americans for not showing up to a friendly between England and Ecuador," writes Bryan Tisinger. "It's a 3pm start local time. Who in their right mind would take off work on a Wednesday to see James Milner at right back?' It's a fair point, well made. I'm getting paid cash money to sit here watching this, and even then it doesn't seem like a very good deal. However, LA resident Ian Copestake has another theory: Given the retiree contingent of Miami, won't they all just be getting up?
2.58pm ET
The players are out, England in red, Ecuador in yellow, and it's time for the national anthems. The English one, aye well, y'know. As for Ecuador's effort, musically it's a typical South American presidential stomp, give or take one or two piccolo trills during the chorus. Military jazz. The lyric begins in that manner too, before drifting into the realms of C86 indie.
We greet you, oh Fatherland, a thousand times! / Oh Fatherland, glory be to you! Glory be to you! / Your chest, your breast, overflows / Your chest overflows with joy and peace / And your radiant face, your radiant face is brighter than the shining sun we see / And your radiant face, your radiant face is brighter than the shining sun we see.
2.41pm ET
The Ecuador team: Banguera, Paredes, Erazo, Guagua, Walter Ayovi, Antonio Valencia, Gruezo, Noboa, Montero, Enner Valencia, Caicedo.
Subs: Bone, Ibarra, Mendez, Rojas, Castillo, Arroyo, Jaimen Ayovi, Bagui, Saritama, Martinez, Achilier, Domiguez.
And your referee tonight, ladies and gentlemen: Jair Murrufo (USA)
2.22pm ET
In lieu of hot Ecuadorian chat, a little bit about the weather: It's cloudy. Dark clouds. The stadium, meanwhile, which holds 75,540 paying punters on a good day, is expected to be roughly a quarter full. Sporting fever sweeping the States, with the
US Open golf
World Cup just over a week away.
2.17pm ET
The England team's in. And here it is, with Wayne Rooney in exile on the left, and Luke Shaw and Ross Barkley making their first international starts: Foster, Milner, Jones, Smalling, Shaw, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Lampard, Wilshere, Barkley, Rooney, Lambert.
Subs: Forster, Henderson, Sterling, Welbeck, Lallana, Flanagan, Stones.
1.47pm ET
England don't have much of a history with Ecuador. But what's there is worth recalling. The two teams first met in Quito in May 1970, as Alf Ramsey's England embarked on a mini-tour of South America in order to acclimatise to altitude ahead of the World Cup in Mexico. England won impressively, 2-0 thanks to goals from Francis Lee and Brian Kidd, while their B Team were running out 4-0 winners against Liga Deportiva Universidad, Jeff Astle scoring a hat-trick and setting up the other. Not bad, seeing the matches were being played at 9,300 feet. "I thought the talk about altitude was crap, me," admitted a gasping Alan Ball after the game, his eyeballs rolling around in his skull. "I thought I could run for a week. But I found out different today." A fine performance by the reigning world champions, then. And a particularly impressive one by their captain Bobby Moore, who was playing with more than football and air pressure on his mind. England had just played Colombia in Bogata, where Moore had been accused of attempting to half-inch a bracelet. He'd be thrown in Colombian clink en route from Quito back to Mexico City, but that's another story. What a player. Ice in the veins.
Back to the subject of Ecuador, then. England have a 100% record over the South Americans, because the only other game between the two countries was played at the 2006 World Cup. Nothing exciting occurred in a common-or-garden 1-0 win for Sven-Goran Eriksson's side, though in retrospect there were a couple of notable landmarks. David Beckham scored what would prove to be his final goal for England, a curling free kick. And as things stand, it's England's last win in the knockout stage of a major tournament. Grim match, but there's something for the English to take away from it.
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