Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul, world champions with Argentina at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Photo: El Tiempo
Messi’s Argentina, which defends the Copa América, will face an interesting test prior to the start of the 2024 Copa América in the United States when it faces Ecuador, in a preparatory match for the continental tournament.
The match is scheduled to be played this Sunday, at the Soldier Field stadium in Chicago, at 6:00 pm The broadcast will be carried out by Win Sports.
Argentina prepares to defend the Copa América
Winner of the last Conmebol national team tournament in Brazil 2021, The Albiceleste seeks to arrive in good condition to the contest that returns to American soil after eight years.
Argentina arrives with a large part of the squad that at the end of 2022 achieved the Qatar World Cup, including the participation of the star Lionel Messi.
The Albiceleste captain, who will turn 37 in just over two weeks, He assessed that “Argentina is always a favorite.” “Beyond the fact that we have won everything, previously, when it was not possible that we could achieve the objectives, Argentina was also always the favorite,” he remarked. Messi in statements to the Infobae site.
“When a championship starts, be it a World Cup, Copa América or whatever, Argentina is a candidate, just like Brazil and more in this Copa América. But I think that today the South American teams are very strong. Uruguay is very good, Colombia, Ecuador. Afterwards it becomes very difficult to play all the games, it is going to be a very even Copa América,” he analyzed. Messi.
The coach of Argentina, Lionel Scaloni, maintains the World Cup base, but here he has called up new faces, among them the winger Valentín Barco (Brighton, England), the defender Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique Marseille, France), and the wingers Valentín Carboni (Monza , Italy) and Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United).
In this context, Sunday’s duel is an interesting test for Argentinawhich will open play in the Copa América on Thursday the 20th, against Canada, in Group A completed by Peru and Chile.
Ecuador, a dangerous team for the Copa América?
Ecuador is also looking to tune up for a tournament which will have the tricolor as a possible candidate for the final stages, within a Group B that will align it with Mexico, Venezuela and Jamaica.
For this duel, the Spanish coach Félix Sánchez Bas prepared the team in Philadelphia, with the new addition of Piero Hincapié on the left side due to Pervis Estupiñán’s absence due to injury, and in the attack the presence of the youth is feasible Kendry Paez17 years old, already acquired by the Chelsea English, but still plays for Independiente del Valle.
The last crossing between Argentines and Ecuadorians was last Septemberat the beginning of the South American qualifiers, with a tight victory (1-0) for the light blue and white team, in Buenos Aires.
Argentina will complete its preparation with a friendly on June 14 in Washington against Guatemalawhile La Tri will face Bolivia on Wednesday the 12th in Pennsylvania, and will finish its rehearsals on the 16th, in a duel against Honduras, in Connecticut.
Time and how to watch Argentina vs. Ecuador live
Argentines and Ecuadorians will meet on Sunday from 6:00 pm (Colombian time) at Soldier Filed Stadium in Chicago.
The match can be seen through the signal Win Sports and its digital media.
probable formations
Argentina: Emiliano Martínez; Gonzalo Montiel, Cristian Romero, Nicolás Otamendi, Nicolás Tagliafico; Enzo Fernández or Rodrigo De Paul, Leandro Paredes and Giovani Lo Celso; Lionel Messi, Julián Álvarez or Lautaro Martínez and Nicolás González. DT: Lionel Scaloni.
Ecuador: Hernán Galíndez or Alexander Domínguez; Ángelo Preciado, Félix Torres, William Pacho, Piero Hincapié; Moisés Caicedo, Carlos Gruezo, Joao Ortiz or José Cifuentes; Kendry Páez, Enner Valencia and John Yeboah. DT: Félix Sánchez Bas.
