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Petecio surprised by sparring requests

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Nesthy Petecio (left) settled for the silver in the Tokyo Olympics after losing to hometown bet Sena Irie (right) in the final. —INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Staying busy in a training facility in Bangkok last month, Nesthy Petecio was amazed at the volume of boxers looking to trade blows with her atop the ring.

“I was surprised with the number of boxers who wanted to spar with me at the training camp,’’ said Petecio, who is back in Manila after a monthlong workout at the Thai capital.

Getting a crack at Petecio is quite understandable since most, if not all of them, craved exchanging mitts with an Olympic medalist.

Petecio pocketed the silver medal in the women’s 57-kilogram class during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and with Japan’s Sena Irie, the champion in the featherweight division, now gone, the Filipino former world champion is considered at the top of the pecking order.

“They just loved to face me in the ring and I really don’t know why. As soon as I arrived in the camp, several boxers immediately took interest in slugging it out with me,’’ said Petecio.

She will leave for the Metz training camp in France with Olympic qualifiers Aira Villegas, Hergie Bacyadan and Carlo Paalam in less than two weeks.

They are scheduled to travel together to Germany in another arranged camp from July 1 to July 14 together with Eumir Marcial and fellow Olympians from 22 countries, serving as the ultimate phase of their preparation for the Paris Olympics.

“I’m in the process of building up my strength and stamina. But I think what I really have to develop from now until the Olympics is the proper mindset once I enter the ring,’’ said Petecio.

The 2019 world champion in her division encounters not a few distractions in her buildup, but perfectly knows how to deflect them.

“There are distractions every day, but I always choose peace of mind,’’ said Petecio.

The two-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist lost to Irie via unanimous decision in their gold-medal match in Tokyo, but the defeat only boosted her resolve.

“I feel that my confidence isn’t there yet, but I’m on my way to getting there,’’ said Petecio. INQ

Pacquiao set for exhibition, in talks for title bout vs Barrios

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Retired multiple world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines speaks during a press conference at a hotel in Tokyo on June 10, 2024. It was announced on June 9 that he will fight Japanese mixed martial artist Chihiro Suzuki in a three-round boxing match on July 28 in Saitama, north of Tokyo. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP)

Boxing great Manny Pacquiao said Monday that he is in negotiations to make a comeback but cautioned that a potential world title fight against Mario Barrios was “far away.”

The 45-year-old multiple world champion from the Philippines quit the sport in 2021 and made a failed tilt at his country’s presidency.

He has signed up to fight a three-round exhibition bout against Japanese mixed martial artist Chihiro Suzuki next month in Saitama, north of Tokyo.

READ: Manny Pacquiao ‘ready to go’ for comeback fight possibly in Saudi

Pacquiao said he was in talks to face the American Barrios for the WBC welterweight world title but said the potential fight was still “far away”.

“We’re still in negotiations and we’re talking about that. The fight has not materialised yet,” Pacquiao, who has hinted at comebacks before, said in Tokyo.

“That negotiation is ongoing. It’s going to be by December — November or December.

“There’s still a lot of things to discuss and talk about.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFSG370oyy0

Pacquiao in February admitted defeat in his bid to fight at next month’s Paris Olympics when the International Olympic Committee rejected a special request for him to take part.

The IOC has an age limit of 40 for Olympic boxers.

READ: Pacquiao accepts his Olympic dream is over

Pacquiao retired weeks after losing to Cuban Yordenis Ugas in Las Vegas in his final professional fight.

He ran for the Philippines presidency but lost the May 2022 election by a huge margin.

He returned to the ring for an exhibition in Seoul in December 2022 against a South Korean YouTuber.

He will fight Suzuki on July 28 in a 68kg boxing match of three rounds at three minutes each, with no judges’ decision.

Pacquiao insisted the bout was “not an exhibition, this is a fight”.

“We are looking for a knock-out for this fight,” he said.

“There’s going to be a lot of action in the ring and of course I’ll do my best to win by knock-out.”

Luka Doncic triple-double not enough for Mavericks

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Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) heads to the locker room after a 105-98 loss to the Boston Celtics following Game 2 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Sunday, June 9, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

BOSTON — Luka Doncic is piling up injuries and points in these NBA Finals.

But for the second straight game, he didn’t get enough support from his Mavericks teammates. This time on a night when the Boston Celtics did everything possible to give Dallas a chance to steal a game on the road.

Doncic connected on 12 of 21 shots and finished with 32 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds, marking his 10th career playoff triple double and the first Finals triple-double in Mavericks’ history.

But his teammates went a combined 26 of 59 from the field on a night in which Boston went just 10 of 30 from the 3-point line, and All-Star Jayson Tatum shot 6 of 22 from the field as Boston won Game 2 105-98.

It all added up to a two-game deficit for the Mavericks as the best-of-seven series shifts to Dallas for Game 3 on Wednesday.

READ: NBA Finals: Celtics hold off Mavericks for 2-0 lead

“Every game we lose is a missed opportunity for us,” Doncic said when asked if felt the Mavs missed a chance to take advantage of an off night by the Celtics. “At the end the day, we have to make shots to win the game.”

It was the first Game 2 loss of these playoffs for Dallas, which had won three straight — all on the road. The Mavs now face the daunting task of having to beat a Boston team that has lost just twice this postseason in four out of five games. The Celtics are 6-0 on the road this postseason.

Dallas struggled from both the 3-point line (6 of 26) and the free throw line (16 of 24). Doncic was 4 of 8 from the foul line and had eight of his team’s 15 turnovers.

“The small things, you know, we have to do the small things, and that’s part of the game,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “Those are points that we left on the board, and we didn’t shoot free throws well tonight, and we have to be better.”

Doncic started Game 2 after being listed as probable Sunday morning with a sprained right knee and left ankle before being downgraded to questionable by the afternoon after a bruised chest was added to his list of ailments.

READ: NBA Finals: Mavericks plan to get Celtics to fight among themselves

He was cleared to play after going through his pregame warmup routine. Doncic believes he sustained the chest injury taking a charge in Game 1. During pregame introductions Doncic wore an ice wrap across the side of his chest and knee.

“I always want to play,” Doncic said. “So all day we did a lot of things to get ready for the game.”

It didn’t seem to bother him at the outset, as he scored six of Mavericks’ first 11 points and Dallas sprinted out to a 13-6 lead in the first quarter.

But his mobility did seem to be lacking on occasion. It showed later in the opening period when Jaylen Brown pushed the ball up the court on a fast break and crossed Doncic over before gliding past him for a two-handed dunk.

It didn’t slow Doncic down on the offensive end, where he continued to chalk up points and have a verbal back-and-forth with a Celtics fan seated courtside after making consecutive shots.

What may be most troubling for Dallas’ hopes the rest of the series is the play of Kyrie Irving.

After finishing with just 12 points in Game 1 — the second-fewest of his Finals’ career — Irving improved with 16 points on 7-of-18 shooting, with six assists and two turnovers. But 10 of his points came in the first half, again leaving Doncic on an island down the stretch.

“My teammates look for me to convert a lot of shots and lessen the burden, not only on Luka but the entire team,” Irving said. “It’s on all of us, man. I’m pretty sure if you hear what everybody has to say, they’ll say they have to do something better.”

More Mavericks players were more involved than in Game 1, with all five Mavericks starters reaching double figures. It was a small consolation to Doncic.

“At the end of the day, we’ve got to make some more shots,” he said. “I think my turnovers and my missed free throws cost us the game. So I’ve got to do way better in those two categories.”

Verstappen wins ‘crazy’ rain-hit Canadian Grand Prix

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Red Bull Racing’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen wins the 2024 Canada Formula One Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada, on June 9, 2024. (Photo by Shawn Thew / POOL / AFP)

Max Verstappen eased the pressure on Sunday when he completed a hat-trick of victories at the Canadian Grand Prix to consolidate his early-season lead in the drivers’ championship.

After being beaten in two of the previous three races, the series leader and three-time champion bounced back to his competitive best, with the aid of excellent calls from his team in a tactical race, to win by 3.879 seconds ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris.

Mercedes’ George Russell, who started from pole position, finished third ahead of a fast, but frustrated teammate in seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.

READ: F1: Sergio Perez stays at Red Bull with contract extension to 2026

Verstappen scored his third consecutive triumph at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and the 60th win of his career, having started second on the grid and, at times, riding his luck in a dramatic contest featuring two Safety Car interventions.

“That was a pretty crazy race and a lot of things were happening,”said Verstappen. “We had to keep on top of our calls and as a team we did really well today. We remained calm and we pitted at the right time.”

With both Ferraris failing to finish – just two weeks after Charles Leclerc claimed an emotional win in his home Monaco Grand Prix – Verstappen’s success lifted him 56 points clear of the Monegasque driver in the title race.

“The safety cars worked out nicely for us this time,” he added, referring to the Miami Grand Prix where he lost his advantage, allowing Norris to claim his maiden win. “But even after that we were managing the gaps quite well.

“I loved it. It was a lot of fun. These kind of races you need to have once in a while. The most important thing is that we won. The suspension problem is not particularly an issue.”

READ: F1: Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc wins Monaco GP from pole position

“We know what it is, so we just need to work on it. We still have room to improve.”

Hamilton, who was self-critical after the race, was passed by Russell in the closing laps, but finished ahead of fifth-placed Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren and two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin.

‘It was wild. It was chaotic’

Local hope Lance Stroll was seventh in the second Aston Martin ahead of RB’s Daniel Ricciardo and the two Alpines of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon.

“A lot of fun,” said Norris, who, with Piastri, brought McLaren their first points in Canada since 2014 on the 56th anniversary of the team’s first win, with Bruce McLaren, at the 1968 Belgian Grand Prix.

“It was wild. It was chaotic. It was eventful. To be honest, I felt like I drove a good race, the whole time, from start to finish. These conditions are so stressful inside the car, but very enjoyable at the same time.”

Russell said: “That was an ugly race on my behalf and I am sorry for that. It feels like a big missed opportunity to be honest. We had a fast car this weekend.”

On a day of showers and sunshine, five cars — Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull, both Ferraris and both Williams — failed to finish in front of a big enthusiastic crowd who revelled in the changing conditions and race positions.

Verstappen’s win carried him to 194 points in the drivers’ championship ahead of Leclerc on 138 and Norris on 131. In the constructors’ race Red Bull, in a troubled season by their standards, moved to 301 points ahead of Ferrari on 252.

‘One of my worst races,’ says Lewis Hamilton after missing podium

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Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes looks on, on the grid prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on June 09, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec. Chris Graythen/Getty Images/AFP

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton said he had driven “one of the worst races” of his long career on Sunday when he finished fourth behind Mercedes teammate George Russell in the Canadian Grand Prix.

Hamilton said he believed his car was capable of winning, but that he had made a lot of mistakes in his 341st race, in which Russell passed him in the closing laps to snatch away his first podium finish this year on one of his favorite tracks.

“Over the weekend, it’s a poor performance from myself,” he said. “Some other things came into it yesterday, mostly myself, but then today, it’s one of the worst races I’ve driven. Lots of mistakes.

READ: F1: Verstappen wins crazy rain-hit Canadian Grand Prix

“Of course, if I qualified better, I would have been in a better position…

“But it is becoming a car we can fight with and that’s a real positive, going into the next part of the season. It’s going to be a close battle and if I get my head on right, I’ll get better results.

“I think this weekend the car was capable of winning. That’s such a great feeling so we’ll take the points and keep on trying.”

Hamilton holds the joint record of seven wins and six poles at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve where he claimed his maiden victory, with McLaren, in 2007.

Russell, who had started from the second pole position of his career and the team’s first since Hamilton’s pole at Hungary last year, said: “This feels like a missed opportunity. We were really quick at the beginning on the inters and then Lando came through really fast, but then we jumped back onto the slicks and made a couple of mistakes, pushing the limits and paid the price.

READ: F1: Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes has found ‘North Star’

“Nevertheless, it was our first podium of the year, we had a really fast car and to be back in the mix fighting for a victory, that’s what F1 is about.”

Asked about his two late bold passing moves on McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Hamilton, Russell added: “It was pretty tight with Oscar and Lewis at the end. It was hard, but fair racing.

“It’s so difficult when there’s only one dry line, so you have got to be committed and trust your rivals.”

Team boss Toto Wolff said despite missing out on a first win since the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in 2022, he was satisfied with the team’s recent progress.

“A victory was maybe a long shot, or a short dream, but you must not be too greedy. The car has made a good step forward and the development direction is true.”

He added that he was not sure if Red Bull had “made a step backwards” but that “the most important thing” is that their performance advantage was shrinking.

Jannik Sinner takes over No. 1 spot from Djokovic

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Italy’s Jannik Sinner reacts after winning the first set during his men’s singles semi final match against Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz on Court Philippe-Chatrier on day thirteen of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros Complex in Paris on June 7, 2024. (Photo by Bertrand GUAY / AFP)

Jannik Sinner’s anticipated rise to world No. 1 was officialized on Monday when the ATP released its new rankings, making him the first Italian ever to hold the top spot.

Sinner reached the semifinals of the French Open where he was beaten by eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz who climbed to second, nudging 37-year-old Djokovic, who has been No. 1 since last September, down to third.

READ: Jannik Sinner reaches French Open semifinal, to become world No. 1

Djokovic holds the record for the number of weeks spent at No.1 — his tally of 428 is 118 weeks more than next best Roger Federer.

The German Alexander Zverev, who was runner-up to Alcaraz in Paris, remains in fourth place, ahead of Russian pair Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev.

ATP rankings

1. Jannik Sinner (ITA) 9525 pts (+1)

2. Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) 8580 (+1)

3. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 8360 (-2)

4. Alexander Zverev (GER) 6885

5. Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 6485

6. Andrey Rublev (RUS) 4710

7. Casper Ruud (NOR) 4025

8. Hubert Hurkacz (POL) 3995

9. Alex De Minaur (AUS) 3845 (+2)

10. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 3775

Iga Swiatek reinforces top spot in WTA rankings

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Poland’s Iga Swiatek poses with the trophy the day after she won the women’s final match against Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, on day fifteen of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros Complex in Paris on June 9, 2024. (Photo by EMMANUEL DUNAND / AFP)

French Open champion Iga Swiatek of Poland cemented her place at the top of the women’s game with her victory at Roland Garros, reinforcing her position as world No.1 when the WTA released its new rankings on Monday.

The 23-year-old Swiatek beat Jasmine Paolini in a one-sided final on Saturday to claim a fourth French Open title which now puts her 3,707 points ahead of Coco Gauff, the woman she beat in the semi-finals in Paris.

Apart from a few weeks in autumn 2023 when Aryna Sabalenka took over, Swiatek has been at the top of the rankings since April 2022, a total of 107 weeks.

READ: Swiatek seals place among greats with ‘surreal’ fourth French Open

Gauff’s performance, which improved in her quarter-final in 2023, enabled her to leapfrog the Kazakh Aryna Sabalenka who slips to third.

Paolini’s run to her first Grand Slam final was good enough to lift her eight places to a career-high seventh while 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva, who fell to the Italian in the semis, jumped 15 places from 38 to 23.

Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia, who reached the semi-finals last year, went down six places to No.20 after going out in the first round this time.

WTA rankings

1. Iga Swiatek (POL) 11695 pts

2. Coco Gauff (USA) 7988 (+1)

3. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 7788 (-1)

4. Elena Rybakina (KAZ) 5973

5. Jessica Pegula (USA) 4625

6. Marketa Vondrousová (CZE) 4503

7. Jasmine Paolini (ITA) 4068 (+8)

8. Zheng Qinwen (CHN) 4005

9. Maria Sakkari (GRE) 3980 (-2)

10. Ons Jabeur (TUN) 3748 (-1)

Mavs blow chance in Game 2, face even tougher road

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Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks reacts during the third quarter against the Boston Celtics in Game Two of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 09, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images/AFP

Game 2 provided Dallas with a huge chance.

The Mavericks could have flown back to Dallas with the home-court advantage in the NBA Finals. They could have tied the title series at a game apiece. They could have put the heavily favored Boston Celtics into what would have been their most precarious spot of the season.

Instead, they’re down 2-0 — and now the odds of pulling this off just got a whole lot longer.

They missed eight free throws, gave up 21 points off turnovers, didn’t take advantage of an uncharacteristic 3-point clankfest from the Celtics – 10 for 39 — plus wasted another big effort from Luka Doncic on a night where he battled through ankle, rib and knee issues and still did whatever he wanted. They were better than they were in Game 1. That said, they still weren’t good enough. Final score: Boston 105, Dallas 98, and the Celtics are now two wins away from what would be their record-setting 18th NBA championship.

“At the end of the day, they are better than all the teams we’ve played,” Dallas’ PJ Washington said. “It’s the finals, and we’ve just got to be better. … Their record says that they have been the best team all year. They have two superstars, they have a lot of great role players and they play team ball. So, we’ve just got to be better.”

READ: NBA Finals: Luka Doncic triple-double not enough for Mavericks

Or else.

The only path for Dallas to capture this title now is to win four of the next five games, against a team that hasn’t come close to losing four games in a five-game stretch at any point this season. The Celtics are 14-2 in these playoffs, 78-20 overall this season and the only way that their fingerprints aren’t on the Larry O’Brien Trophy before long is for them to come completely apart.

Which isn’t likely. Possible, sure. Likely, no.

“The journey to this point has been great, but we still know being up 2-0 means nothing,” said Celtics guard Jrue Holiday, who led Boston with 26 points in Game 2. “Job’s not done. We have to do whatever it takes.”

Doncic had the 50th known triple-double in NBA Finals history — 32 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists. He also had eight turnovers and went just 4 for 8 from the foul line, two reasons why he pointed the finger of blame directly at himself after the game.

“At the end of the day, we’ve got to make some more shots,” Doncic said. “I think my turnovers and my missed free throws cost us the game. So, I’ve got to do way better in those two categories. But at the end of the day, we’ve got to make shots to win the game.”

READ: NBA Finals: Celtics hold off Mavericks for 2-0 lead

Dallas tied a season-low with six 3-pointers, but that wasn’t what the Mavericks should lament most when they review how the game went from beyond the arc. They were 11-1 in these playoffs when holding teams below 38% on 3s; make it 11-2 now, since Boston shot 25.6% in Game 2 and won. The Celtics aren’t likely to struggle that much from deep too often.

“Every game we lose, it’s a missed opportunity for us,” Doncic said.

Dallas was right there, which will make the loss hurt even more. It still took a pair of unlikely plays by the Celtics — a 34-foot, beat-the-clock 3-pointer by Payton Pritchard to end the third quarter, and a chasedown block by Derrick White in the final minute of the fourth on a play where it seemed like Washington got fouled on a dunk try — for Boston to wrap Game 2 up.

“That’s what Payton Pritchard does,” White said of the deep heave.

In the biggest moments, Boston found a way. That all said, it’s not over. Comebacks from 2-0 down in the NBA Finals aren’t unprecedented.

The last team to lead the finals 2-0 was Phoenix in 2021; the Suns didn’t win another game in that series against Giannis Antetokounmpo, Holiday and Milwaukee. Golden State led Cleveland 2-0 in 2016; Cleveland won in seven, something that Kyrie Irving will surely remind his Dallas teammates of now since he hit the 3-pointer that basically sealed that title for LeBron James and the Cavs. And nobody needs to tell Dallas that 2-0 leads guarantee nothing; the Mavericks had that lead against Dwyane Wade and Miami in 2006, the city was planning parade routes, and the Heat won the next four games for their first championship.

“We are not down,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “We’re positive. This is a group that believes. We didn’t get an opportunity to get a split or win two here on the road. Now Boston held serve. Now we’ve got to go home and hold serve.”

To his credit, he made it all sound very simple. But he knows the task is much harder now.

Pacquiao wants KO win vs Japanese MMA fighter Chihiro Suzuki

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Former Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao, left, and Japanese mixed martial arts fighter Chihiro Suzuki pose during a press conference Monday, June 10, 2024, in Tokyo. They are scheduled to fight in a three-round match in July. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

TOKYO — Manny Pacquiao said Monday that a title fight against Mario Barrios is in the works, with details still being negotiated.

Pacquiao, a former world champion who retired in 2021, spoke in Japan on Monday to promote a three-round boxing exhibition on July 28 against Japanese MMA fighter Chihiro Suzuki.

“We’re still in under negotiation,” the 45-year-old Pacquiao said of the possible Barrios fight for the WBC welterweight title. “And, we’re talking about that. The fight is not materialized yet. But that negotiation is ongoing.”

READ: Pacquiao set for July exhibition, in talks for title bout vs Barrios

He hinted any eventual fight would be in November or December. But he said his mind was on Suzuki.

“I just want to say to everybody. This is not an exhibition. This is a fight, a three-round fight,” Pacquiao said. “We will be looking for a knockout for this fight. So you better watch, and it’s going to be a lot of action in the ring. And, of course, I’ll do my best to win by knockout. Thank you.”

Pacquiao lost in the run for the presidency of the Philippines in 2022.

READ: Manny Pacquiao ‘ready to go’ for comeback fight–possibly in Saudi

His career boxing record is 62 wins (39 KOs), 8 losses and 2 draws.

Suzuki knows he is up against a legend.

“In a way this is a challenge for me,” he said. “It’s a real honor to be able to fight against someone who has made history, so I will face him with respect. For me, it’s one of the biggest challenges of my life and a test that I have to overcome.”

Angel Di Maria on target as Argentina downs Ecuador 1-0

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Angel Di Maria #11 of Argentina celebrates after scoring a goal against Ecuador in the first half during an International Friendly match at Soldier Field on June 09, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Patrick McDermott/Getty Images/AFP

Angel Di Maria scored the only goal as Argentina warmed up for the defense of their Copa America crown with a 1-0 friendly victory over Ecuador in Chicago on Sunday.

Di Maria, named as captain for the game with Lionel Messi on the bench, bagged his 31st international goal in the 40th minute of an entertaining clash at Soldier Field.

Patient approach play saw Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodrigo De Paul play an incisive pass to defender Cristian Romero in an advanced position on the edge of the area.

READ: Brawling fans in stands delay Argentina-Brazil World Cup qualifier

The Tottenham centre-back swiveled brilliantly and picked out Di Maria with a superb reverse pass and the veteran winger darted in before steering a deft low finish past Ecuador goalkeeper Hernan Galindez.

Di Maria made way for Messi on 56 minutes but the Inter Miami star was unable to help Argentina add to the scoreline.

READ: Messi’s Argentina loses first match since World Cup title

Sunday’s game in Chicago was one of two friendlies Argentina has scheduled before they kick off the Copa America on June 20 against Canada in Atlanta.

The reigning world champions face Guatemala in Landover, Maryland, on Friday as they wrap up preparations for the Copa America, which is being staged in the United States this year with teams from Concacaf participating.