Football

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.

United States coach Gregg Berhalter expressed severe disappointment and accused his players of lacking respect after Colombia's emphatic 5-1 friendly victory on Saturday. The South Americans ruthlessly exploited American blunders, leaving Berhalter aghast at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland.Jhon Arias and Rafael Borre gave Colombia a 2-0 lead within 19 minutes. Despite Timothy Weah's goal in the 58th minute, "Los Cafeteros" continued their relentless attack, scoring three unanswered goals through Richard Rios, Jorge Carrascal, and Luis Sinisterra.The rout marked the first time the US had conceded five goals in a game since their 5-0 defeat to Mexico in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup final. Berhalter's side could have faced an even worse fate, as Colombia squandered several other scoring opportunities."I'm really disappointed, obviously with the result," Berhalter said. "We're not framing it as a lesson learned, we're framing it as a wake-up call. A really poor performance against a top team."Berhalter criticized his team's lack of respect for the opponent and the game itself, particularly in the final 15 minutes. "If you give a team like that the opportunities that we gave them, you're going to have no chance to win," he said.Despite some positive moments, Berhalter acknowledged that the 5-1 scoreline was unacceptable. "There were some positive chunks of the game, right. But when I'm looking right now at 5-1, it's not good enough."Berhalter fielded a starting lineup comprised entirely of players from Europe's top five leagues in preparation for their Copa America Group C opener against Bolivia on June 23. However, Colombia's early dominance threatened to overwhelm the US.Arias opened the scoring after just six minutes, capitalizing on a defensive error by Antonee Robinson. Borre doubled Colombia's lead with an overhead kick on 19 minutes.Weah's goal gave the US hope, but Rios's goal in the 77th minute put Colombia back in control. Carrascal and Sinisterra added late goals to seal the emphatic victory.The US will continue their Copa America preparations with a friendly against Brazil on Wednesday.

Spain's Euro 2024 preparations received a major boost as they thrashed Northern Ireland 5-1 in their final friendly before the tournament. Pedri Gonzalez emerged as the star of the show, scoring twice to lead La Roja to a convincing victory.After a shaky start that saw Northern Ireland take an early lead, Spain quickly regained their composure and dominated the match. Pedri equalized with a low drive from the edge of the box, before Alvaro Morata headed Spain ahead. Pedri struck again after a neat move, and Fabian Ruiz headed home to make it 4-0.The second half was a more subdued affair, but Mikel Oyarzabal added a fifth goal for Spain after being set up by the impressive Lamine Yamal. The victory was a timely confidence boost for Luis de la Fuente's side, who face a tough group at Euro 2024.Pedri, who has been in excellent form in recent weeks, expressed his determination to make an impact at the tournament. "I've worked hard to be in good shape at the end of the season," he said. "We'll go for (the Euros), with the idea of winning."Spain's victory over Northern Ireland was their second in as many friendlies, having previously thrashed Andorra 5-0. They will now turn their attention to their opening Euro 2024 fixture against Croatia on June 15.

Germany's Euro 2024 hopes received a boost with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Greece in a friendly on Friday. Despite a shaky start, the hosts rallied to secure a late win thanks to a stunning strike from Pascal Gross.Greece, who failed to qualify for the tournament, stunned Germany with an early goal from Georgios Masouras. The visitors took advantage of a Manuel Neuer error to take the lead in the 33rd minute. However, Germany responded well in the second half, with Kai Havertz equalizing in the 56th minute.With the match seemingly heading for a draw, Gross emerged as the hero. The Brighton midfielder unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box in the 89th minute, leaving Greece goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos with no chance.Despite the victory, Germany's performance raised some concerns. Coach Julian Nagelsmann's team lacked fluidity in the first half and struggled to break down Greece's defense. However, Nagelsmann praised his side's improvement in the second half, saying, "The win is important for the atmosphere before the tournament."Toni Kroos, who returned to the team after winning the Champions League with Real Madrid, acknowledged Germany's shortcomings but remained optimistic. "We finished the match much better, we concentrated and controlled the ball," he said.The victory will provide a confidence boost for Germany as they prepare for their Euro 2024 opener against Scotland next Friday. However, questions remain over Neuer's form, with Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen waiting in the wings.

Italy's Euro 2024 preparations hit a snag as they were held to a goalless draw by Turkey in a lackluster friendly in Bologna. The Azzurri, who triumphed at the last Euros three years ago, struggled to create clear-cut chances against a resolute Turkish defense.The match was marred by an injury to Turkey's Ozan Kabak, who was stretchered off shortly before halftime with a knee injury that could potentially rule him out of the tournament. The Hoffenheim midfielder fell awkwardly in a challenge with Mateo Retegui and writhed in agony on the sidelines.Italy's best chance of the first half came in stoppage time when Baris Yilmaz sent a free header over the bar. Bryan Cristante also hit the post from a corner in the dying seconds of the half.The introduction of Andrea Cambiaso and Mattia Zaccagni after the break livened up Italy's attack, but they still lacked inspiration in the final third. Retegui miscued a bicycle kick from Pellegrini's cross just before the hour mark.Despite being the better team, Italy failed to find a breakthrough, leaving the 25,000 fans at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara disappointed.Turkey, managed by former Italy striker Vincenzo Montella, will play Poland in Warsaw on Monday in their final pre-Euro friendly. They take on Georgia in their first Group F match in Dortmund on June 18 before facing Portugal and the Czech Republic.Italy, meanwhile, have one more friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Empoli on Sunday before traveling to Germany for Euro 2024. They begin their campaign on June 15 against Albania in Group B, where they have also been drawn with Spain and Croatia.

Olivier Giroud, the veteran French striker, bid farewell to AC Milan in a thrilling 5-2 defeat to AS Roma in a post-season friendly in Perth. The match, played in front of a packed Optus Stadium, marked Giroud's departure from Europe, where he has enjoyed a successful career in France, England, and Italy.Giroud, who will join Los Angeles FC next season, is France's all-time leading goalscorer with 57 goals in 131 appearances. He will have the opportunity to add to his tally at the Euros later this month before retiring from international football.Despite the defeat, Giroud's performance was overshadowed by the high-octane contest between the two teams. Roma took the lead through Tommaso Baldanzi in the 27th minute, but Theo Hernandez equalized for Milan just ten minutes later. Tammy Abraham restored Roma's lead before halftime, and the second half saw a flurry of goals from Angelino, Noah Okafor, Paulo Dybala, and Sardar Azmoun.Giroud, who won the Champions League with Chelsea and the Serie A title with Milan in 2021-2022, struggled to make an impact against Roma's determined defense. He was substituted at halftime, leaving the pitch to a standing ovation from the crowd."I learned so much from him. He is such a legend," said Swiss striker Noah Okafor, who replaced Giroud at halftime. "Big respect that he can perform at that age. I'm going to miss him....just going to enjoy these last hours together."Giroud's departure marks the end of an era for AC Milan, who will now look to rebuild their squad for the upcoming season. The Frenchman's experience and leadership will be sorely missed, but his legacy will live on in the hearts of Milan fans.

Brazil and Spain played out a thrilling 3-3 draw in a friendly match at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday, with both teams showcasing their attacking prowess and resilience.The match, organized to combat racism, saw Brazil captain Vinicius Junior largely kept quiet, while his teenage compatriot Endrick continued to impress. Spain's Lamine Yamal also shone, winning the penalty that Rodri converted for the opening goal.Spain dominated the first half, with Dani Olmo doubling their lead with a fine individual effort. However, Brazil pulled one back before the break when Unai Simon gifted Rodrygo a goal.Endrick equalized for Brazil early in the second half, but Rodri restored Spain's lead from the spot after Dani Carvajal was fouled. Brazil refused to give up and earned a late penalty when Carvajal cynically pulled back Galeno. Lucas Paqueta converted the spot-kick to snatch a draw in stoppage time.Despite the friendly nature of the match, the intensity was high, with both teams eager to prove their worth. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente fielded a strong side, while Brazil coach Dorival Junior gave Endrick his first appearance at the home of his future club, Real Madrid.The match was a testament to the quality and competitiveness of both teams, and it served as a reminder of the importance of combating racism in football.