Ecuador are expecting to be overworked in defence in their World Cup clash with France at the Maracana on Wednesday.

France are the joint top scorers in the World Cup so far having plundered eight goals in two games.

Defender Frickson Erazo and midfielder Christian Noboa are expecting to be called in for overtime in their defensive duties in their final Group E match in Rio.

"The way to read it is that we're going to have a lot of work in defence," said Erazo on Sunday.

Speaking from Ecuador's base camp in Vila Ventura, Noboa added: "They scored eight goals in one match (an 8-0 thumping of Jamaica in a World Cup warm-up). Scoring a goal in a World Cup is difficult and scoring eight.... that gives you a guide to what France are all about."

France opened up their campaign with a 3-0 win over Honduras before thumping Switzerland 5-2.

In matches against the same teams, Ecuador lost 2-1 to the Swiss before scraping a win over Honduras by the same score.

They sit second in the group but with Switzerland facing minnows Honduras in their last game, Ecuador are likely going to need a victory to progress to the last 16.

"They're going to be very difficult opponents, we know France's strengths but we're going to have to take care if we want to hurt them," said Enner Valencia, who is currently the joint top scorer in the World Cup with three goals.

Another of the top scorers is France's Karim Benzema but Ecuador coach Reinaldo Rueda has already dismissed the idea of man-marking the Real Madrid forward.

He and his team-mates have got Ecuador worried but former captain Walter Ayovi, another defender, is hopeful they will able to turn the formbook on its head.

"France are a dynamic team, we know the goals they've scored," said Ayovi, who was replaced as captain last year by Antonio Valencia as Rueda thought it the best remedy for the team and the Manchester United star after the death of leading scorer Christian Benitez.

"They're good at creating space but we hope to be able to turn all that around."