Ecuadorean player finds passport after internet appeal

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - World Cup 2022 South American Qualifiers - Argentina v Ecuador - Estadio La Bombonera, Buenos Aires, Argentina - October 8, 2020 Argentina's Lucas Ocampos in action with Ecuador's Pervis Estupinan REUTERS

Ecuador defender Pervis Estupinan found his lost passport on Wednesday after fans responded to an internet appeal to help him locate the missing travel document.

Estupinan lost his passport on Tuesday, the day he scored a goal in Ecuador's 6-1 win over Colombia in a World Cup qualifying tie in Quito.

However, the 22-year old Villarreal player posted a happy picture on social media of him surrounded by what looked like an extended family.

"Thanks to your help I managed to recover my most important bag and my passport," Estupinan wrote on Twitter. "May God bless you all."

He had earlier asked for help in locating three black bags and his passport with the hashtag #LasMalasdePervis or Pervis's luggage.

Estupinan planned to leave Ecuador on Wednesday and return to Spain, where Villarreal face Real Madrid in a La Liga match on Saturday.

He scored the sixth goal in Ecuador's stunning win over Colombia, their heaviest defeat since 1977.

The win took Ecuador into third place in the South American World Cup qualifying group with nine points from four games, behind Brazil and Argentina.