Now it’s getting serious. The current champion Argentina, which is awaiting the recovery of its star player Lionel Messi, will face a resilient Ecuador on Thursday. Only one team will survive and get a ticket to the semifinals of the Copa America.
According to the criteria of
If the score is tied after ninety minutes, the match will go straight to penalties. Lionel Scaloni’s team arrives with a perfect score after beating Canada, Chile and Peru in the group stage.
They want to put their 16th trophy in their showcase and become the team with the most Copa América titles won, surpassing Uruguay (15). But the dream is suffering from a contracture. Messi is being treated for discomfort in his right adductor. He felt the strain during the match with Chile, but played the full 90 minutes.
Argentina vs. Peru
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He rested against Peru and they are waiting for the medical report that will clear him. He has already been seen participating in training at the Houston Dynamo field of the MLS, although experts say they must be careful to avoid a tear that would keep him out of the tournament.
“We’ll wait and see (…) Yesterday (Tuesday) we had good feelings and today we hope to take this day to define the team,” said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni on Wednesday.
“It upsets me that Leo isn’t playing, that’s the reality for everyone, not just me. We’ll try to get him to play and, if he isn’t, we’ll try to do the best for the team,” he added. Ecuador, meanwhile, had a difficult time qualifying. Venezuela beat them, revived against Jamaica and managed an agonising goalless draw against Mexico. An irregular performance could cost them against the world champions.
“We know that the team we are facing is of the highest level. Obviously Lionel Messi is a difference-maker,” said Ecuador’s coach, Spaniard Félix Sánchez. “We have to be prepared for any situation, whether he is on the pitch or not, and from there, adjust to try to prevent him from shining,” he said.
In case the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner needs to extend his rest, Scaloni still has a lethal artillery to draw against the tricolor: Di María, Alejandro Garnacho, Julián Álvarez, ‘Nico’ González and Lautaro Martínez, who has four goals in the Copa América.
Ecuador vs. Mexico.
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Since Sánchez took over as Ecuador coach in March 2023, he has faced the Argentines twice: in the qualifying round and in a recent friendly a month ago. On both occasions, they lost by the same score: 1-0, with goals from the ’10’ and Ángel Di María. And in the friendly, Messi was not on the field.
“We know Ecuador very well. It is a team that has grown a lot in recent times, and they have great players. We are sure that it will be a very difficult match,” said the midfielder. Alexis MacAllister.
Ecuador, which has never won the Copa América, came into the tournament in force, with the credentials to be in the qualifying zone for the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Sánchez has what it takes to challenge Argentina: Énner Valencia, Kendry Páez, Jeremy Sarmiento, Piero Hincapié and a talented Moisés Caicedo.
“We are confident of having a good match, of competing well against them (…) We think it will be an even match,” said the Spanish coach. Until now Ecuador has never beaten Argentina in the Copa America. “These are statistics, and you already know what they are for (to be broken). We are preparing for that,” said the Ecuadorian forward and captain, Énner Valencia.
“There is no tomorrow here, we have to give our best to win (…) It is the most important match of my career,” added the historic Ecuadorian striker.
Possible lineups:
Argentina: Emiliano Martinez – Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Tagliafico – Rodrigo de Paul, Leandro Paredes, Alexis Mac Allister – Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Angel Di Maria. Coach: Lionel Scaloni.
Ecuador: Alexander Dominguez – Angelo Preciado, Felix Torres, William Pacho, Piero Hincapie – Alan Franco, Moses Caicedo – Jhon Yeboah, Kendry Paez, Jeremy Sarmiento – Enner Valencia. Coach: Felix Sanchez. Referee: Andres Matonte (URU)
Programming
The match is scheduled for 8 pm at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, with 72,000 seats waiting to be filled by the Albiceleste tide, and tickets that exceed $3,000 in formal resale.
Argentina vs. Ecuador
8 pm
TV: Dsports (610)
SPORTS WITH AFP
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