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Played
June 2, 2012 11:30 PM BST
Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti — Capital Federal, Ciudad de Buenos Aires
Referee: V. Rivera
Attendance: 50000
June 2, 2012 11:30 PM BST
Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti — Capital Federal, Ciudad de Buenos Aires
Referee: V. Rivera
Attendance: 50000
Argentina - Ecuador Preview: Albiceleste aim for payback in World Cup qualifying against talented visitors
In qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, the home side could only secure one point from two matches against La Tri
By Roger Gonzalez
GettyImages
| PROBABLE LINEUP |
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ARGENTINA Romero Zabaleta, Garay, Fernandez, C. Rodriguez Gago, Mascherano, Di Maria Higuain, Messi, Aguero |
ECUADOR Banguera Achilier, Campos, Espinoza, W. Ayovi Valencia, Castillo, Noboa, Saritama Suarez Benitez |
Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella is set to start this World Cup qualifier with three strikers. In the middle, Fernando Gago and Javier Mascherano will likely play together, with Angel Di Maria joining them. At the back, Ezequiel Garay and Federico Fernandez start in the middle of the first time together.
There is no Carlos Tevez in this squad, however, as the former Boca Juniors man was not called up.
For Ecuador, Reinaldo Rueda looks to play only one forward, hoping to be able to have enough players back to contain the Argentine attack. Christian Benitez will start up top, with Christian Suarez playing attacking midfielder.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
- Argentina are tied for first in South America's World Cup qualifying with seven points from four games, level with Uruguay, who have the same amount of points from one less match.

- In their last qualifying game, the two-time World Cup winners won 2-1 at Colombia, thanks to goals from Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero.
- Messi, who has 22 goals for the senior team, is 34 behind the nation's top all-time scorer Gabriel Batistuta, who had 56.
- Ecuador are in fourth place in qualifying with six points from three games, having won two and lost one.
- In qualifying for the last World Cup, the visitors earned four points from two games against the Argentines, winning one at home and drawing in Buenos Aires.
- Their last qualifying game was a 2-0 win over Peru in November, where Edison Mendez and Christian Benitez bagged goals.
Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
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Argentina 3-1 Ecuador
- 13.91 %
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Argentina 3-0 Ecuador
- 12.59 %
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Argentina 2-0 Ecuador
- 8.6 %
| World Cup Qualifying - Conmebol (WCQ) | Jun 2, 2012 | Argentina 4 - Ecuador 0 | |
| World Cup Qualifying - Conmebol (WCQ) | Jun 10, 2009 | Ecuador 2 - Argentina 0 | |
| World Cup Qualifying - Conmebol (WCQ) | Jun 15, 2008 | Argentina 1 - Ecuador 1 |
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| Mar 26, 2013 | Bolivia 1 - Argentina 1 | WCQ |
| Mar 23, 2013 | Argentina 3 - Venezuela 0 | WCQ |
| Feb 6, 2013 | Sweden 2 - Argentina 3 | FR |
| Nov 22, 2012 | Argentina 2 - Brazil 1 | FR |
| Nov 14, 2012 | Saudi Arabia 0 - Argentina 0 | FR |
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| Mar 26, 2013 | Ecuador 4 - Paraguay 1 | WCQ |
| Mar 21, 2013 | Ecuador 5 - El Salvador 0 | FR |
| Feb 6, 2013 | Portugal 2 - Ecuador 3 | FR |
| Oct 16, 2012 | Venezuela 1 - Ecuador 1 | WCQ |
| Oct 12, 2012 | Ecuador 3 - Chile 1 | WCQ |
| 1 | Sergio Romero | Goalkeeper |
| 15 | Clemente Rodríguez | Defender |
| 2 | Ezequiel Garay | Defender |
| 4 | Pablo Zabaleta | Defender |
| 17 | Federico Fernández | Defender |
| 7 | Ángel Di María | Midfielder |
| 5 | Fernando Gago | Midfielder |
| 14 | Javier Mascherano | Midfielder |
| 9 | Gonzalo Higuaín | Striker |
| 10 | Lionel Messi | Striker |
| 16 | Sergio Agüero | Striker |
| - | Agustín Orión | Goalkeeper |
| 12 | Mariano Gonzalo Andújar | Goalkeeper |
| 23 | Hugo Armando Campagnaro | Defender |
| - | Leandro Desábato | Defender |
| - | Matías Nicolás Rodríguez | |
| 3 | M. Rojo | Defender |
| 8 | José Sosa | Midfielder |
| - | Maxi Rodríguez | Midfielder |
| 18 | Pablo Guiñazú | Midfielder |
| 22 | Rodrigo Braña | Midfielder |
| - | Toto Salvio | |
| 21 | Ezequiel Lavezzi | Striker |
| 22 | Alexander Domínguez | Goalkeeper |
| 21 | G. Achilier | Defender |
| 23 | J. Campos | Defender |
| 2 | J. Guagua | Defender |
| 16 | Antonio Valencia | Midfielder |
| 6 | C. Noboa | Midfielder |
| 19 | Luis Fernando Saritama | Midfielder |
| 10 | Walter Ayoví | Defender |
| 15 | Midfielder | |
| 11 | Christian Benítez | Striker |
| 13 | C. Suárez | Striker |
| 1 | Máximo Banguera | Goalkeeper |
| 3 | Fricson Rafael Erazo | Defender |
| - | E. Bone | |
| 20 | Diego Armando Calderón | Defender |
| - | G. Espinoza | |
| - | Edison Vicente Méndez | |
| 9 | Jefferson Antonio Montero | Midfielder |
| 4 | Juan Carlos Paredes | Midfielder |
| 5 | O. Minda | Midfielder |
| 14 | S. Castillo | Midfielder |
| 17 | J. Ayoví | Striker |
| - | M. Quiñónez | |
| 7 | R. Ibarra | Striker |
| Sergio Romero | |
| Position: | Goalkeeper |
| Squad Number: | 1 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Criticized recently in Argentine media for a terrible gaff while playing for Sampdoria in Serie B, the former Racing man needs to show he has the quality to help his nation each and every game. Keeping Ecuador scoreless would be a good start.
| Antonio Valencia | |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Squad Number: | 16 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
The Manchester United winger has terrorized Argentina in recent matches. Going up against Clemente Rodriguez, who will certainly push forward, he will have plenty of chances to make noise down the flank. Expect plenty of fine deliveries into the box.
With an attack of Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero, it's difficult to imagine the home side not finding the net a few times, despite having trouble with Ecuador in recent years. However, this time around, the two-time World Cup winners should secure three points.
Results
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Final
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Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Gonzalo Higuaín Striker Real Madrid |
9 | 0 |
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Lionel Messi Striker Barcelona |
8 | 1 |
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Luis Suárez Striker Liverpool |
8 | 0 |
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Radamel Falcao Striker Atl. Madrid |
6 | 0 |
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Felipe Caicedo Striker Lokomotiv |
5 | 3 |
