Angel Di Maria scored as Lionel Messi returned to international action for the first time in six months, helping Argentina to a 1-0 win over Ecuador in a Copa América warm-up match on Sunday at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Messi was ruled out for the first half before replacing Di Maria in the 56th minute.
A right hamstring injury kept the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and Inter Miami star out of Argentina’s previous two Copa América warm-up games against El Salvador and Costa Rica in March.
“With Leo [Messi], you don’t need to risk him. Not only with him, but others like it [Nicolas] Otamendi did not play. Angel [Di María] only play a few minutes, julian [Alvarez] and Lautaro [Martinez] the same,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said.
“We want to take care of these players and allow them to arrive in the best possible conditions at the tournament.”
With Messi watching from the bench, Di Maria headed Cristian Romero’s reverse pass into the net to open the scoring in the 40th minute.
“We know the Copa America will be complicated, you can see it today in the game. The players are getting into it and there will be difficult games,” Di Maria told TyC Sports. “I think today was a good game to show how we are. I think we are on the right track.”
Di Maria’s goal marked his second in a row in international competition, having also scored against Costa Rica on 26 March. With the 31st goal of his career in Argentina, the 36-year-old midfielder is tied with Gonzalo Higuain for the fifth most goals in the country’s history and is just four goals behind Diego Maradona at No.4 in the table.
Scaloni’s side will wrap up their pre-Copa América preparations in Washington on Friday with a friendly against Guatemala before opening the tournament’s group stage against Canada on June 20.
“We have to come together, fight, add minutes and feel the feeling of wearing this shirt again. That’s what we’re looking for before a Copa America that will be very difficult,” added Scaloni.
Ecuador will play two friendly matches, vs Bolivia on Wednesday and Honduras on June 16, before their Copa America debut against Venezuela on June 22.
ESPN’s Lizzy Becherano and The Associated Press contributed to this report.