Altitude unlikely to affect Ecuador when they face Mexico at the Azteca

MEXICO CITY: Altitude may have helped Mexico achieve a perfect record in the group stage of this World Cup, but they aren’t likely to provide the same edge against Ecuador in the Round of 32.
Mexico swept through the group stage matches at the tournament for the first time in their history, but the unbeaten run came with a caveat. All three victories took place at venues more than 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) above sea level.
El Tri often capitalized late, scoring five of its six goals after halftime, perhaps as fatigue began to take its toll.
“We have a massive advantage as the host country because we’re playing at the Estadio Azteca with our fans and the altitude,” Mexican football commissioner Mikel Arriola said before the tournament.

“It is a very potent setting.”
Ecuador, unlike Mexico’s previous opponents, should be well-suited to playing at roughly 7,300 feet (2,200 meters) elevation at the Azteca in Mexico City — which FIFA has renamed Mexico City Stadium during the tournament.
The South American nation often play home matches at more than 9,000 feet (2,743 meters) in Quito, and, like Mexico, have used geography to their advantage.
The Ecuadorians went unbeaten at home during qualifying and had victories over Uruguay, Chile, Peru and Venezuela in Quito. They also joined Argentina as the only nations to win a qualifier at Bolivia, which play their home matches at almost 12,000 feet (3,657 meters) of elevation.
The altitude has been such a factor in Ecuador’s impressive home record that the Ecuadorian Football Federation decided to move some qualifying matches to Guayaquil, which is close to sea level, in order to prove that Ecuador could compete in all environments.
They did just that by beating Argentina and