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Di Maria’s strike seals Argentina’s 1-0 victory over Ecuador in Copa America warm-up

CHICAGO: Angel Di Maria’s first-half goal secured Argentina a comfortable 1-0 win against Ecuador in a pre-Copa America friendly held in Chicago on Sunday. The veteran forward, set to retire from international duty after the upcoming tournament, scored the decisive goal five minutes before halftime. Cristian Romero’s precise through ball set up Di Maria, who calmly slotted it past the Ecuadorian goalkeeper.

Despite controlling much of the game, Argentina couldn’t extend their lead in the second half. Di Maria, reflecting on the match, said, “It was a deserved win. We have to keep working as we always do and stay united.”

Acknowledging the strength of their opponents, Di Maria added, “Ecuador are an opponent we could meet in the Copa. We know it’s going to be a very difficult tournament. Today was a good game to show what we can do.”

Argentina continues their preparations with a friendly against Guatemala on Friday. The defending Copa America champions will start their title defense against Canada on June 20, followed by matches against Chile on June 25 and Peru on June 29.

Ecuador, meanwhile, will play friendlies against Bolivia on Wednesday and Honduras on Sunday. They will kick off their Copa America campaign against Venezuela on June 22, with subsequent matches against Jamaica on June 26 and Mexico on June 30.

The Copa America will be hosted in the United States from June 20 to July 14, promising an exciting month of football as teams from across the continent compete for the prestigious trophy.

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