Watch Argentina vs Ecuador Live Streaming TV Channels:
Argentina, the reigning World Champions, kick off their World Cup title defense with a home qualifier against Ecuador this Thursday evening.
Having made it to the finals in Qatar, Ecuador is optimistic about qualifying for another tournament, especially with CONMEBOL now offering six direct slots and an extra playoff position.
Argentina vs Ecuador – Preview
In their first competitive match post-World Cup final, Lionel Scaloni aims for Argentina to maintain their impressive unbeaten streak.
The stunning end to Saudi Arabia’s 36-game unbeaten run came in Qatar’s group opener, marking the first time they remained undefeated throughout a qualifier since the 1998 World Cup’s format alteration.
However, since that unexpected loss, Argentina has clinched victories in all 10 games they’ve played, which encompasses six World Cup matches and four subsequent friendlies.
With Scaloni still at the helm and the core squad from Qatar intact, La Albiceleste is poised to deliver consistent performances.
In the aforementioned friendlies, Argentina dominated Panama, Curacao, Australia, and Indonesia, netting 13 goals without conceding any. However, the upcoming challenge might be stiffer.
The revamped World Cup format should make Argentina’s qualification journey smoother. Unlike the nail-biting finale of 2018 qualifications, where they secured their spot on the final day and were among the lowest goal-scorers on the continent, this time expectations are different.
In recent times, Ecuador has adeptly maneuvered through South American qualification, securing spots in four of the last six World Cups. This is notable given that they’re not traditionally viewed as one of the continent’s football powerhouses.
This evolution is underscored by the fact that their inaugural appearance in the World Cup finals came only in 2002, hosted by South Korea and Japan. Since the start of the 21st century, only 2010 and 2018 saw them missing the prestigious tournament.
However, once at major tournaments, their form often falters. Out of their four World Cup finals appearances, they faced group stage eliminations three times. The 2022 World Cup had moments of promise when they triumphed over the hosts, Qatar, but their momentum stalled against Senegal, leading to an earlier exit than anticipated.
Their performance in the Copa America paints a gloomier picture. Since 1999, out of nine finals, they’ve been ousted in the group stage seven times. Out of 30 matches played in this timeframe, Ecuador has celebrated victory only three times. Notably, in 2021, they managed to advance to the quarter-finals without securing a single win.
Argentina vs Ecuador Live Streaming TV Channels
Argentina: TyC Sports Play, TyC Sports Argentina, Televisión Pública, DIRECTV Sports Argentina
Brazil: Canais Globo, NOW NET e Claro, SporTV
Croatia: Arena Sport 3 Croatia
Ecuador: TyC Sports Internacional, Canal del Futbol
International: Pluto TV
Israel: Sport 4
Mexico: Fanatiz Mexico, TyC Sports Internacional
Russia: Sportbox.ru, matchtv.ru, Match TV
Serbia : Arena Sport 2
Team News
Messi is poised to earn his 176th cap for Argentina, with Scaloni potentially fielding the same starting XI that faced France in the World Cup final.
While Paulo Dybala and Emi Buendia are significant injury omissions, Lisandro Martinez made the squad despite an early exit in Manchester United’s recent match.
Lucas Ocampos, Giovani Lo Celso, and Marcos Acuna have been left out of the current roster.
In terms of offensive choices, Scaloni is spoiled for options. Both Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez have been in impeccable form this season, possibly prompting the manager to field them together.
For Ecuador, the main selection contention lies in the goalkeeping position, with Hernan Galindez potentially being the preferred choice.
Galindez is competing with his peer, 36-year-old Alexander Dominguez. Interestingly, Dominguez is one of only two players remaining from the squad that participated in the 2014 World Cup. The other stalwart is the talismanic Enner Valencia, who has been on a roll since his move to Internacional.
Valencia’s striking prowess was evident when he netted three times against Bolivar in the Copa Libertadores quarter-final recently, a continuation of his prolific form which saw him score 33 goals for Fenerbahce the previous season and three in the World Cup.
Additionally, in Pervis Estupinan, Ecuador boasts one of the most in-form left-backs, courtesy of his standout performances for Brighton & Hove Albion. However, he might have a challenging game ahead if he’s tasked with marking a potential right-sided Messi.