Kickoff is Tuesday, September 9 at 20:00 Argentina time at Estadio Monumental Banco Pichincha in Guayaquil. Lionel Messi will not travel after being given rest, and Cristian Romero is suspended for yellow-card accumulation. Scaloni indicated Lautaro Martínez has a real chance to start, with Alexis Mac Allister available after a muscle issue as the staff evaluates options. Leonardo Balerdi is the leading candidate to partner Nicolás Otamendi in central defense, and Otamendi will wear the armband. Ecuador moved the match to sea level in Guayaquil to remove the altitude factor, and AFA confirmed October friendlies in Miami against Venezuela and in Chicago against Puerto Rico.
