World Cup winners Argentina begin their quest for the 2026 edition with the first CONMEBOL qualifiers match against Ecuador at home.
ARG vs ECU Match Details
Date: Thursday, 7 September 2023 / Friday, 8 September 2023
Time: 21:00 (ART), 05:30 (IST)
Venue: Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires
ARG vs ECU Match Preview
Nine months after lifting the World Cup title for the third time in their history, Argentina takes to the pitch to defend their title for the next one in the USA, Mexico and Canada with the first round of qualifying matches in September 2023. With the 2016 version getting expanded to 48 teams with six nations having automatic berths from South America, La Albiceleste has little to fear about their qualification journey. However, they will be aiming to put up a dominating show carrying a 10-game winning run since losing to Saudi Arabia in the 2022 World Cup opener. They carried a staggering 36-game unbeaten run before that. With their talisman Lionel Messi showing his incredible class in MLS now, Argentina will wish his form for the nation also remain intact. At 36 years old, Messi might or might not make it to the next World Cup but will help the team set the standards again.
Starting the qualifying campaign against Ecuador, who performed beyond expectation in the qualifiers and then the finals last time, could be tricky. Despite being at home and not losing this meeting since 2015. Argentina won the last three home games of this fixture with an aggregate of 10-1 in all competitions with the previous one ending 1-1 away. With a new manager at the helm in Felix Sanchez, who took charge of the hosts Qatar in last year’s World Cup and got beaten by Ecuador themselves in the opener, La Tri knows the enormous task of maintaining the good work done in the last few years. Ecuador have won their last three matches having failed to win their last two games of the 2022 World Cup and losing 3-1 to fellow round of 16 finisher Australia. Their aim will be to be among the top six at the end of the qualifiers to make it to their fifth finals in history directly.
ARG vs ECU Predicted Lineups
ARG: E Martinez; Molina, L Martinez, Otamendi, Tagliafico; De Paul, E Fernandez, Mac Allister; Messi, Lautaro, Di Maria
ECU: Galindez; Preciado, Torres, Arboleda, Pacho, Estupinan; Plata, Caicedo, Gruezo, Mena; Valencia
ARG vs ECU Head-to-Head
Played: 38
ARG won: 22
Drawn: 11
ECU won: 5
ARG vs ECU Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: E Martinez (8)
DEF: F Torres (9), L Martinez (8), Otamendi (8), Estupinan (9)
MID: Di Maria (9), Caicedo (8.5), Mac Allister (8.5)
FW: Messi (9), Lautaro (8.5), Valencia (9)
Vice-captain: Angel di Maria or Lautaro
Captain: Lionel Messi
Angel di Maria has started this season brilliantly returning to boyhood club Benfica with four goals in five appearances.
Lautaro Martinez has scored 5 goals in the opening 3 Serie A games this season for Inter adding to his tally of 21 in the last two seasons.
Lionel Messi has got 15 goal contributions in 11 matches for Inter Miami so far (11 goals, 4 assists). He has scored 17 goals and delivered 5 assists in the last 13 matches for Argentina.
