Argentina vs Ecuador prediction: SOUTH AMERICA: Copa América – Play Offs betting tips on match 2024-07-04 01:00.
[p]Blitzing through Group A with three wins from three, and still yet to concede a goal in the tournament, Copa América holders Argentina have now made it into at least the quarter-finals in each of their last 15 appearances in the competition dating back to 1987. Remarkably, Lionel Scaloni’s side have now lost just two of 60 games since their Copa América semi-final defeat to Brazil back in July 2019 (90 mins: W45, D13)![/p]
[p]La Selección (FIFA rank: #1) have won each of their last eight, keeping a clean sheet in six of those, including in a 1-0 pre-tournament friendly victory against quarter-final opponents Ecuador earlier this month. Keeping in line with the trend, another shutout here looks a distinct possibility, with Argentina conceding just once across the last five H2Hs between the two nations.[/p]
[p]Félix Sánchez’s Ecuador side scraped through by the virtue of a single goal on goal difference, taking second place in Group B despite having lost their opening game of the tournament. The defeat to Venezuela, at the time, was a third in five games (W2), though that record has now improved somewhat to just one defeat in their most recent five outings overall (W3, D1).[/p]
[p]La Tri do not have a positive H2H record against any other CONMEBOL member at the Copa América, and have not faced any nation in the tournament more than Argentina (16) without tasting victory (D5, L11). They were also knocked out by Scaloni’s side at the same stage three years ago, but if Ecuador are to pull off an almighty shock, you feel it’s imperative they get themselves in front having not come from behind to win a game since September 2023.[/p]
[p]Key battle: Lautaro Martínez has netted four of Argentina’s five goals so far in the tournament, scoring in every group game, with three of the four arriving after the 85th minute. With one clean sheet in the tournament to date, Ecuador goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez is averaging four saves per game.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Ten of the pair’s 16 meetings in the Copa América to date have seen Argentina net 3+ goals, while six occasions saw them net four times or more.[/p]