QUITO, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa Tuesday decreed a shorter work day for Wednesday so Ecuadorans can watch their national team play France in a key qualifying match of the 2014 World Cup.

Government spokesman Fernando Alvarado announced via Twitter that Correa issued a decree allowing public sector employees to leave at 2:30 pm local time (19:30 GMT), or three hours earlier than usual.

The private sector, he added, can follow suit, according to each company's decision.

The decree, said Alvarado, serves to show support for the national team, which plays France in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for a chance to advance to the knockout rounds of the World Cup.

"Let's all root for the 'Tri'," wrote Alvarado on his account, referring to the team by its nickname, which is short for "tricolor," or the three colors of the flag.

Correa announced the same measure for June 20, when the national team played Honduras, in Curitiba, winning 2-1 to place second in the World Cup's Group E with three points.

The game against France, which leads Group E with six points, starts at 3 pm local time (18:00 GMT).

In its debut game of the championship on June 15, Ecuador lost to Switzerland 2-1 in stopwatch time.