© Reuters 2002

QUITO, March 6 (Reuters) - Ecuador captain Ivan Hurtado will miss Sunday's friendly against the United States because of an ankle injury, local media said on Wednesday.

Hurtado, who plays for Guayaquil club Barcelona, picked up the injury during last week's 1-0 defeat by Deportivo Quito in the Ecuadorean championship following a clash with fellow international Edison Mendez.

His place in the centre of the defence is expected to be taken by 20-year-old Jorge Guagua of El Nacional.

Ecuador, who beat Turkey 1-0 in a friendly last month, were due to begin training for the game on Wednesday at a military complex outside Quito.

Striker Agustin Delgado, who scored nine goals in the qualifiers to help Ecuador reach the World Cup for the first time, is training with the squad but is not expected to play.

The Southampton forward is still recovering from a knee operation in November.