Benfica winger Angel Di Maria captained Argentina and scored the lone goal in a 1-0 victory over Ecuador in a friendly match held in Chicago on Sunday. The match served as preparation for the upcoming Copa America tournament.
With Lionel Messi starting on the bench, Di Maria took the leadership role and netted his 31st international goal in the 40th minute, assisted by Cristian Romero. Messi came on as a substitute for Di Maria in the 56th minute but was unable to extend Argentina's lead.
Argentina has another friendly scheduled for Friday against Guatemala in Maryland before embarking on their Copa America title defense campaign in the United States. Their tournament journey begins on June 20th against Canada in Group A, which also includes Peru and Chile.
Ecuador, meanwhile, is placed in Group B alongside Venezuela, Mexico, and Jamaica. This 48th edition of the Copa America features 16 teams, including six from the CONCACAF region (North, Central America, and the Caribbean): Panama, Canada, Costa Rica, the United States, Mexico, and Jamaica.
