Soccer-Ecuador coach demands explanation from De la Cruz

QUITO, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Ulises de la Cruz has been left out of Ecuador's squad for the friendlies against El Salvador and Honduras after failing to turn up for this month's game against Bolivia.

Coach Luis Fernando Suarez said he was still awaiting an explanation from the right back, who plays for English Premier League side Reading and has won 96 caps.

"I'm waiting for him to talk directly to me to know the reasons for not being with the team," Suarez told the newspaper El Universo.

"Until I get an explanation I feel he has got a lot of things to sort out. So I'm not counting on him for these games."

Ecuador host El Salvador in Quito on Sept. 8 and visit Honduras four days later in their last matches before the start of the 2010 World Cup qualifying competition.

De la Cruz was a member of the team which qualified for the 2002 and 2006 finals. Ecuador had never previously played at a World Cup tournament.