Argentina vs Ecuador

Chicago’s Soldier Field sets the stage for a handsomely-looking international friendly between familiar foes Argentina and Ecuador.

World champions Argentina embark on their preparations for the upcoming Copa America fresh off a 3-1 demolition of Costa Rica. Lionel Scaloni’s men replied to a 2-0 home loss to Uruguay in November, which ended their 14-game winning run, with three consecutive triumphs, including a 1-0 victory over bitter rivals Brazil in the 2026 World Cup qualifying. Heavily fancied to make it four wins on the trot, La Albiceleste head into proceedings to uphold a six-game unbeaten streak against Ecuador (W5, D1), bookended by a narrow 1-0 home win in September 2023. One of the world’s best players of all time, Lionel Messi, will lead the line as La Pulga braces himself for what could be his last major tournament as Argentina captain.

On the other hand, Ecuador delivered a mixed bag of performance in March, beating Guatemala 2-0 before finishing on the wrong side of that same scoreline against Italy. That loss ended the Ecuadorians’ six-game unbeaten run (W4, D2) but alarmingly marked their third scoring blank in five matches. With each of those five games featuring under 2.5 goals, there’s a feeling a low-scoring affair could be in store. Adding to this sentiment, three of Ecuador’s last four meetings with Argentina have followed that tale, with La Tri only netting once in that sequence. Perhaps it’s time to flip that script under new manager Félix Sánchez Bas, who boasts a promising 58.3% win ratio since taking over the reins in March 2023.