Argentina vs Ecuador Highlights: ARG 1-0 ECU, Di Maria scores winner, Messi returns in action

Di Maria’s first-half strike proves to be the difference as Argentina extends its winning run to four games now. Ecuador, on the other hand, slumps to consecutive losses, finishing second-best to Italy in March in its previous international friendly.

Ecuador is trying desperately to breach into Argentina final third but the host side’s closely-knit is not leaving anything to chance, making its extremely difficult to break past it.

Argentina is looking to experiment with his combinations in midfield and defence, with both areas undergoing quite a number of changes in the last minute off the change.

In: Nicolas Gonzalez, Angel Correa, Out: Leandro Paredes, Julian Alvarez

Franeco gets the ball from a throw-in and runs into the box and tries a low shot on target, which is easily gloved by Martinez. 

Ecuador somehow managed to drag four players in front of its four defenders and tries a counter attack with a long ball high up the pitch. Valencia tries to get to it but Emiliano Martinez gets to it first to put the attack to bed.

The game looks to be a stretched with neither side causing much trouble in the ends at the moment. But Argentina is hounding its opponents like wolves, looking to force an error to latch on to the ball.

Paredes tries to find someone with a pass but is pushed down by Carlos Guezo before he could decide and the referee books the Ecuadorian right away.

Caicedo and Valencia, two players with Premier League experience, are trying to play their own game as Ecuador gets a free-kick. Paez sends in the free-kick, which is cleared by Argentina. 

In: Carkos Gruezo, Enner Valencia, Out: Jeremy Sarmiento, Alan Minda

As the stadium rings with chants of “Messi! Messi!” the Argentine talisman is busy setting up his teammate Enzo Fernandez. He fails to get the better off Galindez in a one-on-one situation as the score remains 1-0.

Ecuador looks to try and draw its opponent into its half to start a counter attack but Argentina has all the bases covered, with Messi forced into action. He tries to set up De Paul on his left but Ecuador clear eventually.

Lionel Messi, after a brief warm-up, takes the pitch, replacing goalscorer Angel Di Maria. The fans have their cameras and banners out as they cheer Messi coming onto the pitch.

Thousands of fans in the stadium raise the volume of their cheers as Messi starts warming up on the sidelines. 

Minda gets the ball in his own half and tries to start a counter attack for Ecuador. He runs past two Argentine markers but finally the ball is cleared by Argentina.

Argentina attacks against the run of play, with De Paul getting the ball in front of the box and he sets up Lautaro perfectly in front of Galindez for a header. But the goalkeeper catches the ball comfortably.

Argentina intends to begin slowly but as Ecuador tries to get the ball off it, it puts its foot on the gas to start an attack but a rash challenge by Montiel ends the attack with a free-kick in favour of Ecuador.

Ecuador gets the ball rolling in the second half as Argentina looks to put the competition to bed in its run-up to the Copa America.

Di Maria was the standout performer for Argentina in the first half and it was no surprise that he broke the deadlock and came to close to scoring again minutes later.

Argentina gets a free-kick just outside the penalty box and Di Maria steps up for it. His left-footed strike leaves the goalpost shaking as Argentina and Di Maria narrowly miss a chance to double the lead.

Romero gets the ball at the edge of the box from Rodrigo de Paul, stops and turns to set up Di Maria behind him, who then stabilises himself with the first touch and finishes in style with the second, to finally breach Galindez’s defence and open the scoring.

Di Maria gets the ball along the right and leaves his markers in the dust, marauding down the flank. He tries to set up Lautaro in the centrebut Galindez plays villian again.

Preciado tries to desperately clear his lines with a strong challenge on Acuna, who loses possession but the referee does not give a foul.

Ecuador looks to try and absorb the pressure imposed by Alvarez and Di Maria, especially the latter in the final third with back passes but Argentina gets possession back, looking to build an attack from the back. 

Di Maria makes a run into the final third. As he is surrounded by three defenders, he passes to Lo Celso, who gets it to Lautaro, who further sets up Acuna. However, the midfielder’s final shot flies off-target.

Rodrigo De Paul nutmegs Ortiz to get past him but the Ecuadorian pushes the midfielder down for a foul and Argentina resumes play quickly with a free-kick.

Argentina gets a corner, which once cleared out of the box by Ecuador, sees Acuna rush in and shoot on the volley. Though there is force, there is no direction as the ball flies off-target and hots one of the cameras behind the goal.

Argentina attacks again, with Rodrigo de Paul running with the ball along the right flank. He tries to set up Lautaro, who was running in the centre. Galindez, however, intercepts. He has been brilliant in goal today.

Di Maria takes the free kick, which Ecuador fails to clear. Lautaro spots the loose ball and shoots on the volley, which forces an exceptional save by Galindez to stop a certain goal. How is Argentina still without a goal?

Caicedo pulls Lautaro back to stop an attack and again, concedes a free kick.

The last time Ecuador beat Argentina was nine years ago, in a World Cup qualification game, in October 2015. Since then, they have met six times and only once has the match ended in a draw.

Lo Celso steals the ball off Preciado and Di Maria latches on to it, rushes into the box and shoots. However, his shot curls off target and flies out of play.

Di Maria gets the ball in front of the box and lobs it into the box with Montiel rushing in. But Galindez gets to the ball first to put that attack to bed. 

Lionel Messi, Argentina’s captain watches on, sitting beside Nicholas Otamendi. Though Scaloni, Argentina’s coach had said that Messi would play, he had maintained that his game time would be limited, with the Copa America knocking on the door.

Preciado tries to play a dummy along the right flank and Argentina gets the ball back, with Emiliano Martinez getting control of the ball.

Tempers are flying in this game, which is proving to be anything by friendly. Caicedo pushes Rodrigo, who gets further aggressive when the referee intervenes for peace.

Argentina builds slowly from the back, gets the ball to Di Maria, who staves off two defenders but loses to the third. Rodrigo de Paul wins it back but the final shot ends to nothing, with Galindez handling it comfortably.

Caicedo tries to stop an attack by Argentina and traps Lautaro from behind. The Inter Milan forward goes to ground and the referee brandishes a yellow card for the Ecuadorian.

Caicedo takes the corner kick, which is cleared by Argentina while a shot on the volley by Ecuador flies over the net.

Argentina looks to absorb pressure very well with Caicedo, who plays for Chelsea in the Premier League, pulling strings in the midfield. Lo Celso tries to steal the ball off him as Ecuador gets a corner kick. Its like Chelsea vs Spurs!

Sanchez looks animated with the way his side is looking to press early in the game and his shouts of “Vamos!” meaning “Come on” are very evident almost every minute now.

It is quite an interesting affair we have here. Ecuador had faced Qatar in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup, with Ecuador winning that game 2-0. The coach of Qatar then, Felix Sanchez stands in Ecuador’s dugout now.

Preciado is causing all sorts of problems with his runs down the right flank. He is pushed down by Lo Celso as the referee blows the whistle for a foul. 

Ecuador tries to go for an attack with Preciado making a forward run. He bluffs his marker but his final shot lacks any power as Argentina remains unperturbed by the early advancements.

Di Maria and Julian Alvarez are pressing high up the pitch but Ecuador is maintaining a heavy low block to force the Albiceleste to go back into its own half.

Argentina starts in a 4-3-3 formation while Ecuador has gone with a 3-2-2-2 shape, which can transform into a 3-5-2 formation when needed.

Argentina gets the ball rolling, playing from right to left while Ecuador starts from the other side.

The players of both sides stand shoulder to shoulder as the National anthems of Ecuador and then Argentina blare through the speakers. The battle lines are drawn as we edge closer and closer to kick-off.

The players have made their way to the tunnel as they get ready to take the pitch. Argentina will look to continue its dominance against Ecuador while La Tri will eye an upset with Messi on the bench. 

Argentina last played Ecuador in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers at the River Plate Stadium, Buenos Aires, in September 2023. Lionel Messi scored the winner in the 78th minute to secure a 1-0 win.

Ecuador: Hernán Galíndez; Ángelo Preciado, Félix Torres, Willan Pacho, Piero Hincapié; Moisés Caicedo, Kendry Páez, Joao Ortiz; Jhon Yeboah, and Enner Valencia; A. Minda, J. Sarmiento, A. Franco

Emiliano Martínez ; Gonzalo Montiel , Cristian Romero , Lisandro Martínez , Marcos Acuña ; Rodrigo De Paul , Leandro Paredes , Giovani Lo Celso ; Lautaro Martínez , Julián Álvarez , Ángel Di María.

Ecuador: Hernán Galíndez; Ángelo Preciado, Félix Torres, Willan Pacho, Piero Hincapié; Moisés Caicedo, Carlos Gruezo, Joao Ortiz; Jhon Yeboah, Kendry Páez and Enner Valencia

Argentina: Emiliano Martínez; Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Leonardo Balerdi, Marcos Acuña; Exequiel Palacios, Leandro Paredes, Giovani Lo Celso; Lionel Messi; Alejandro Garnacho, Lautaro Martínez.

Defending champion Argentina will kick-off its 2024 Copa America preparations with a friendly match against Ecuador at the Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. on Monday.

Lionel Messi and Co. will be looking to live up to their World Champions tag in the upcoming continental showpiece event in the United States. 

The Albiceleste are the overwhelming favourites to defend their title and have one of the strongest teams in the tournament alongside arch-rival Brazil. 

Coach Lionel Scaloni will be looking to asses his squad ahead of the tournament as most players are coming off from end of season holidays. Argentina last played in March 27, 2024 against against Costa Rica in an international friendly. 

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the match between Argentina and Ecuador as Lionel Messi and Co, gear up for Copa America 2024.