Di Maria's Goal Gives Argentina Winning Start to Copa America Warm-Up

Argentina's Copa America preparations got off to a winning start as they edged past Ecuador 1-0 in a friendly encounter in Chicago. Angel Di Maria, donning the captain's armband in Lionel Messi's absence, proved to be the match-winner, scoring the solitary goal in the 40th minute.

The game began with both teams showing attacking intent, but it was Argentina who took the lead through a moment of brilliance. Rodrigo De Paul's incisive pass found Cristian Romero in an advanced position, and the Tottenham defender executed a superb reverse pass to Di Maria. The veteran winger made no mistake, slotting the ball past Ecuador goalkeeper Hernan Galindez.

Ecuador responded well to the setback and created several chances of their own. However, Argentina's defense, marshaled by Nicolas Otamendi and Lisandro Martinez, stood firm. Di Maria made way for Messi in the 56th minute, but the Inter Miami star was unable to add to the scoreline.

Argentina continued to dominate possession but struggled to create clear-cut opportunities. Ecuador, on the other hand, showed glimpses of their attacking potential, but their finishing let them down. The game ended 1-0, giving Argentina a morale-boosting victory ahead of the Copa America.

The reigning world champions will face Guatemala in their final friendly before the tournament kicks off on June 20. They will be looking to build on their performance against Ecuador and fine-tune their preparations for the defense of their Copa America crown.

Tags: #Argentina, #Ecuador, #CopaAmerica, #Friendly, #DiMaria