Argentina friendly coming to Soldier
Lionel Messi is coming to Soldier Field in June. Argentina, featuring the global superstar, will visit Chicago on June 9 to play an exhibition against Ecuador as part of a series of friendlies ahead of Copa America, which starts June 20 across the United States.
The game was announced Monday by the Argentina Football Association and Soccer United Marketing, along with an Argentina-Guatemala match on
June 14 in Landover, Maryland.
Last week, Argentina scheduled friendlies against El Salvador on March 22 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and against Nigeria on March 26 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Argentina, the defending world and South American champion, opens Copa America against Canada or Trinidad and Tobago on June 20 in Atlanta, then plays Chile on July 25 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Peru on June 29 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Messi’s MLS squad, Inter Miami, visited Soldier Field last Oct. 4. But the crowd of 62,124 was disappointed because an injured Messi didn’t make the trip. Inter Miami is scheduled to visit Aug. 31 this season.
♦ The U.S. women lost 2-0 to Mexico in a group stage game of the CONCACAF W Gold Cup in Carson, California. It was only the second time Mexico has beat the U.S. and first since 2010.