In a thrilling Copa America warmup match on Sunday night, Angel Di Maria scored the decisive goal as Lionel Messi made his much-anticipated return to the international stage, helping Argentina secure a 1-0 victory over Ecuador.
Messi, sidelined for the first half, replaced Di Maria in the 56th minute. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner had been out of action due to a right hamstring injury, missing Argentina’s previous warmup matches against El Salvador and Costa Rica in March.
“Sometimes there is no need to risk it, not only with Leo. It is about taking care of them so that they arrive in optimal conditions,” Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni explained regarding his decision to rest Messi initially.
With Messi watching from the bench, Di Maria took center stage, converting a reverse pass from Christian Romero to break the deadlock in the 40th minute. The goal marked Di Maria’s second consecutive international score, following his goal against Costa Rica on March 26. This 31st career goal for Argentina ties Di Maria with Gonzalo Higuain for the fifth-most goals in the nation’s history, just four behind Diego Maradona.
“It helps to play against a rival like that, especially because Ecuador plays at a high level, they make it difficult for anyone,” Scaloni commented. “And we needed to get together, compete, add minutes and feel the sensation of putting on the shirt before a Cup that is going to be difficult.”
Argentina, the reigning World Cup and Copa America champions, continued their dominance over Ecuador, extending their unbeaten streak to seven matches since 2019.
“The goal is to continue competing, and these guys have competing in their blood,” Scaloni stated. “Sometimes it turns out well and other times it doesn’t turn out well. But you have to keep playing. There are always things to play for. Now the Copa América, then the qualifiers. … Our goal is always to compete at our best.”
