Youngsters delight Staunton

Kevin Doyle's 44th-minute diving header cancelled out Christian Benitez's 13th-minute opener as Staunton sent out seven debutants and added four more to the mix as second-half substitutes at Giants Stadium.

"This was very, very pleasing. There were some excellent individual performances and overall it was a good team performance," said Staunton after 25 players had withdrawn or were unavailable for the two-game tour of America, leaving Staunton with only nine capped players in a 21-man squad.

"We started a bit shaky, especially at the back but that was understandable as the lads have only got together a few days ago. In the second half I thought we coped much better and overall I thought we could have won the game. I'm delighted, especially as it was a difficult surface."

Staunton added that his youngsters, led by 78-cap veteran Kevin Kilbane, had equipped themselves admirably against a South American team warming up for next month's Copa America.

"I think Ecuador will be taking quite a number of those players to the Copa America and most of them played against Sweden in January, so they have a lot more experience than we've had," he said.

"I'm delighted with our lads because it just goes to show it doesn't matter who comes into the squad, they get on with it, give it their all and that's all they can do."

The Ireland boss was impressed by the way his side had fought to get back on level terms after Ecuador had sprung a disjointed offside trap to take an early lead.

He was also pleased with the goal itself that came just before the half-time break.

"The move was very good. It was a great ball in by Daryl Murphy and Doyler's done what good strikers are supposed to do, get across the line for a good header. It shows the character of the side, coming back from one-nil down," he said.