© Reuters 2002

QUITO, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Ecuador have recalled 41-year-old veteran Luis Capurro for this month's friendlies against Costa Rica and Venezuela in an attempt to help him win his 100th cap for his country.

Capurro, who made his international debut against the former East Germany 17 years ago, has made 97 appearances.

His last game was in a friendly against Guatemala in January and his last competitive international was in a FIFA World Cup" qualifier away to Uruguay in September 2000 when Ecuador lost 4-0.

Capurro stopped playing first division football at the end of the 2000 season when he left Liga de Quito and is now officially listed as a player with Santa Rita, who are bottom of the second division.

However, Ecuador Football Federation (FEF) president Luis Chiriboga said that he was still trying to contact Capurro, who is currently in New York.

Ecuador, who will be playing their first matches since the FIFA World Cup", are at home to Costa Rica on October 16 and away to Venezuela four days later.

Coach Hernan Dario Gomez, who has agreed to stay on as coach after leading Ecuador to their first World Cup, named only home-based players for the two games.

Many of Ecuador's top players are based abroad including midfielder Alex Aguinaga (Necaxa, Mexico), strikers Agustin Delgado (Southampton, England) and Ivan Kaviedes (Celta, Spain) and right-back Ulises de la Cruz (Aston Villa, England).

The exception was central defender Ivan Hurtado, who officially belongs to Mexico's UNL but is on the verge of signing a deal with Ecuador's Barcelona.

The attack is likely to be led by Emelec striker Otalino Tenorio, who has become famous for celebrating his goals by dancing along the touchline wearing a Spiderman mask which he pulls from his shorts.

Tenorio said he originally bought the mask for his two-year-old son but now uses it for good luck.

Goalkeepers - Jose Cevallos (Barcelona), Geovanny Ibarra (El Nacional)

Defenders - Ivan Hurtado (UNL, Mexico), Augusto Poroso (Emelec), Jorge Guagua (El Nacional), Walter Ayovi (Emelec), Luis Gomez (Barcelona), Marlon Ayovi (Deportivo Quito), Luis Capurro (Santa Rita).

Midfielders - Alfonso Obregon (Liga de Quito), Edwin Tenorio (Barcelona), Segundo Castillo (Espoli), Edison Mendez (Deportivo Quito), Wellington Sanchez (Emelec), Franklin Salas (Liga de Quito)

Forwards - Johnny Baldeon (Deportivo Quito), Carlos Tenorio (Liga de Quito), Nicolas Asencio (Barcelona), Otilino Tenorio (Emelec).