Argentina begins its knockout campaign during the Copa America 2021 against Ecuador in the quarterfinals.
Lionel Scaloni’s side booked their place in the last eight after topping Group A with ease. They followed a draw against Chile in their initial fixture with three straight victories against Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia to seal the top spot, where Lionel Messi scored three goals and two assists.
Ecuador scraped through to the quarterfinals and finished in fourth place – out of just five teams – in Group B. After losing their first game to Colombia, they recorded two draws 2-2 against Venezuela and Peru before taking a decisive and impressive score . against Brazil. That draw put them on three points and almost took them to the knockout stage – even though the odds against Argentina are strong against them.
Here is a 90 min preview of the collision.
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When is kick off? Sunday 4 July – 02:00 (BST) / Saturday 3 July – 22:00 (EST)Where is it played? Olympic Stadium Pedro Ludovico Teixeira, Goiania Which TV channel is it on? BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website (UK), fuboTV (USA)Who is the judge? Wilton Sampaio
Estadio Olimpico Pedro Ludovico Teixeira hosts the match / Pedro Vilela / Getty Images
There are no new injuries on Scaloni, which means that the line-up should look familiar for what we have seen during the tournament so far.
Sergio Aguero and Lionel Messi should both start again / Rogerio Florentino / Getty Images
Messi will obviously lead the side, with Lautaro Martinez and Alejandro Gomez likely to complete the support squad for Sergio Aguero.
Tottenham’s Giovani Lo Celso and Leandro Paredes from Paris Saint-Germain should return to midfield, while Nicolas Otamendi’s experience may be required for this quarter-final.
Gustavo Alfaro also has a perfectly fit squad to call for this tie.
Enner Valencia, who has scored 31 goals in 60 meetings, should continue to lead the side despite still waiting for his first strike of the tournament.
Ayrton Preciado has done twice at the Copa America 2021 / DOUGLAS MAGNO / Getty Images
Ayrton Preciado has represented Ecuador’s biggest goal threat throughout this summer’s Copa America, having scored two of his team’s five goals all along.
Argentina: E Martinez; Molina, L. Martinez, Otamendi, Acuna; Lo Celso, Paredes; Gomez, Messi, Martinez; Aguero
Ecuador: Galindez; Angelo Preciado, Hincapie, Arboleda, Estupinan; Franco, Mendez, Caicedo, Palacios; Ayrton Preciado, Valencia
Argentina have beaten Ecuador in 21 of their 36 meetings, drawn ten times and lost just five times.
Ecuador’s latest victory against Albiceleste came in 2015, when they won 2-0 on Argentine soil in a World Cup qualifier.
The two sides will fight to join Brazil (who beat Chile 1-0) and Peru (who beat Paraguay 4-3 on penalties) for a place in the last four of the Copa America.
And when we look ahead, there is no alternative but to expect a win from Argentina. Ecuador obviously has the capacity to give big sides a run – a 1-1 draw against Brazil is enough proof. But facing an Argentine side on the lookout in the knockout stages of the Copa America 2021 will surely be too much to ask – especially considering their group stage form.
? # CopaAmérica
?? Always together, always united ?? # VamosArgentina pic.twitter.com/ynYKUZUFoN
– Argentina selection ?? (@Argentina) June 29, 2021
With the creativity and attacking threat that Argentina possesses, it is difficult to see a new match without lots of goals and a win for the landslide favorites.
Prediction: Argentina 4-1 Ecuador
