Sunderland striker Juan Riquelme Angulo made his debut for Ecuador on Thursday.

Sunderland summer signing Juan Riquelme Angulo marked a momentous personal milestone on Thursday when he made his senior international debut for Ecuador.

The 18-year-old arrived on Wearside from boyhood club Independiente del Valle in the closing stages of the transfer window, but is yet to make a first team appearance for the Black Cats. He has, however, featured for the U21s, playing just over an hour of a 3-1 victory over Norwich City last Friday evening.

And with the international break now in full swing, Angulo has taken another notable step in his senior career by earning his first cap for his nation. The teenager was introduced as a 66th minute substitute in Ecuador’s 3-0 defeat at the hands of South Korea on Thursday, sporting the number 13 shirt made famous by veteran compatriot Enner Valencia, who officially retired from international football after this year’s World Cup.

Elsewhere, Angulo’s Sunderland teammate and namesake, Nilson Angulo, played 74 minutes of the friendly in Suwon before he was substituted.

Speaking about his plans for the younger Angulo during a recent press conference, Black Cats head coach Regis Le Bris said: “Probably [we will take a cautious approach] but we never know. Organically you never know how the schedule will evolve.

“He's young, tall, still immature, but he's quick and intense. We had, for example, a huge duel in a small-side game between Brian [Brobbey] and Juan - you don't want to be in the middle of that! He needs experiences, he needs time, but I think he's already experienced for a young player so I'm looking forward to seeing more of him."

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Addressing the decision to sign Angulo at the time of his arrival, Sunderland sporting director Florent Ghisolfi said: “Juan is a young player with exciting potential and a profile that we believe can develop very well within our football club.

“There were a lot of big clubs around Europe chasing his signature, so this signing demonstrates the attraction of Sunderland AFC. His physical qualities are obvious, but he also has good movement, technical ability, and a natural instinct for scoring goals.”

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