Mexico vs. Ecuador live score: Copa America 2024 updates, result as El Tri bid to reach quarterfinal stage

On Sunday at State Farm Stadium, Mexico and Ecuador clash in a crucial Copa America Group B match that will determine which side qualifies for the quarterfinals.

Each side took three points from their opening two games, but Ecuador have a goal-difference advantage over El Tri, meaning they know they can go through if they only avoid defeat. For Mexico, it's win or go home.

"We have 90 minutes [left] and no one is getting off this ship and we will make it," said coach Jaime Lozano after his side's defeat against Venezuela. "We're going to make it, of that I'm sure."

The Sporting News is following Mexico vs. Ecuador live, providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happen.

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Mexico vs. Ecuador live score

Venue: State Farm Stadium (Glendale, AZ)
Referee: Mario Escobar (GUA)

Starting lineups:

Mexico (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. Gonzalez (GK) — 2. Sanchez, 3. Montes, 5. Vasquez, 6. Arteaga — 7. Romo, 24. Chavez — 15. Antuna, 17. Pineda, 9. Quinones — 11. Gimenez.

Ecuador (4-4-2, right to left): 22. Dominguez (GK) — 17. Preciado, 2. Torres, 6. Pacho, 3. Hincapie — 10. Paez, 21. Franco, 23. Caicedo, 16. Sarmiento — 11. K. Rodriguez, 13. Valencia.

MORE: Mexico's all-time record at the Copa America

Mexico vs. Ecuador live updates, highlights from Copa America 2024

Mexico vs. Ecuador: First Half

HALFTIME: Mexico 0-0 Ecuador

Does anyone own a time machine so I can get the last 45 minutes of my life back? That was truly putrid football, as neither side created any reasonably promising chance on goal until Santiago Gimenez put a header over the crossbar in stoppage time.

Mexico ripped off 10 shots without hitting the frame, with the haul worth a total of 0.35 xG. That's a putrid 0.035 xG per shot, which means they're having a pop from terrible spots. Ecuador, meanwhile, have put two of their six shots on target, but neither was remotely troubling for Mexico goalkeeper Julio Gonzalez.

Hopefully Mexico's desperation will make the second half at least somewhat interesting, and there's only up from here. Truly uninspiring football from Mexico, who played right into Ecuador's hands.

45+1 min: Chance, Mexico! Santiago Gimenez puts a header over the crossbar! He beats Felix Torres in the air and directs the ball on frame, but can't hit the target.

43rd min: Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo is booked for a naughty little step late on Orbelin Pineda. He tried to hide it, but couldn't keep from stamping on Pineda's foot.

36th min: Johan Vazquez is lucky not to be booked as he scythes down Kevin Rodriguez who was breaking free on a counter-attack.

31st min: Luis Romo receives the ball at the edge of the attacking third and charges forward towards the penalty area, forcing the Ecuador defense to scramble, but they do so with expert precision and in the end Romo has to pull the trigger early and produces a disappointing effort that skitters wide.

28th min: Knowing they only need a draw to advance, Ecuador have largely been happy to sit back and absorb pressure from a desperate Mexico, and they're quite comfortable in doing so. They are continually blowing up Mexico's buildup out top the penalty area, and El Tri have really struggled to generate chances despite the lion's share of the early attacking possession.

21st min: Mexico have the first half-chance of the match as Cesar Huerta heads a deep delivery towards the net, but he can't put his effort on frame. The chance was a high degree of difficulty given the combination between the semi-tight angle and distance from frame, but it's disappointing that Huerta can't keep it on target.

16th min: This has been an extremely physical match, and the Guatemalan referee Mario Escobar has had a lot of work to do early. Both teams feel the other side is playing dirty, leaving the official with a tightrope to walk. It wouldn't be surprising to see one or both of these teams to finish short of 11 men.

10th min: There's an early penalty shout from Mexico as a header clips the arm of an Ecuadorian defender, but the deflection provides no advantage and the player's elbow is tucked in by his side, so the referee waves play on after a short VAR review.

El Tri may feel that's a missed call, but it would have been a very soft penalty to give so early in the game on a play where nothing really happened as a result of the contact.

6th min: An early yellow card for Cesar Montes who clobbers Enner Valencia on the break. The Ecuadorian had beaten Luis Romo before charging towards goal at pace, forcing Montes to absorb the booking lest he concede a shooting opportunity.

Montes was withdrawn at halftime of the last Mexico match, and he'll be an early substitute candidate here having to traverse nearly the entire match on a yellow card.

3rd min: Mexico have had the early attacking possession as Luis Romo snatches a midfield giveaway. They've pestered the Ecuador buildup with a very high press early on, and have won the ball back in dangerous areas multiple times.

Kickoff: They're under way in Glendale! Who will qualify for the knockout stage and earn the glory of facing defending champions Argentina in the Copa America quarterfinals?

Mexico vs. Ecuador: Pre-match commentary, analysis, more

15 mins to kickoff: Rarely do you get such a pure qualification playoff like this in the group stage of a major tournament. Mexico must win to advance, while Ecuador only need a draw! Here we go!

30 mins to kickoff: This is an enormous match for Mexico in the story of their national team. A second straight group stage exit at a major tournament would be a devastating blow to the country's chances of achieving growth ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Can Jaime Lozano reverse the national team's course and begin an upward trend, or will they slump to another early exit and leave them searching for answers yet again with two years to go until the big event on home soil?

45 mins to kickoff: Mexico have elected to wear their peacock kit, which pays homage to the local bird of Mayan legend. The myth says that the peacock got its beautiful plumage in an arrangement with the roadrunner, but forgot to make good on the bargain and thus lost its glorious singing voice as punishment.

The kit may, ironically, reflect that Mayan myth. While the peacock's plumage adorns the Mexican kit, they haven't exactly been singing beautifully on the pitch and are in danger of crashing out of the Copa America group stage, just as they did in the latest World Cup. Can El Tri make music tonight and qualify for the knockout round?

1 hour to kickoff: Ecuador boss Felix Sanchez makes no changes to his starting XI after toppling Jamaica last time out. The aforementioned Kendry Paez is in, as is Kevin Rodriguez, while Alex Minda misses out despite scoring his first goal for Ecuador in the recent victory.

1 hour 15 mins to kick: Star of the show last time out for Ecuador was 17-year-old Kendry Paez, a young playmaker with domestic club Independiente del Valle. Paez was electric, scoring a goal on six shots while creating two chances for teammates across the 90 minutes.

Paez has 11 caps already despite his youth, with two goals and two assists already to his name. It's no surprise that he's already been snatched up by a big European club, as Chelsea have agreed to a deal to sign Paez once he turns 18 and is eligible to join the club. The deal is reportedly worth a maximum of €20 million ($21.5m /  £17m) including add-ons, seeing him link up with international teammate Moises Caicedo at the club level.

1 hour 30 mins to kick: According to a report by Gibran Araige of TUDN , Mexico head coach will make just one change from the team that fell to Venezuela last time out. Orbelin Pineda will enter the fray, while "Charly" Rodriguez drops out. Otherwise, the other 10 players retain their places!

It's a gutsy decision from head coach Jaime Lozano, as Pineda missed an 87th minute penalty late in the 1-0 defeat to Venezuela, having come off the bench as a substitute.

1 hour 45 mins to kick: With Venezuela already qualified and Jamaica already eliminated, one of these two teams will end up through to the knockout stage, but only one. It's essentially a qualifier all on its own.

Ecuador hold the slight advantage thanks to their one-goal differential lead, meaning they would go through with a draw, while Mexico have to win to advance!

2 hours before kickoff: This game is a straight shootout for the quarterfinals. The winner will go through; the loser will be out. If it's a draw, it's Ecuador who will progress.

Mexico vs. Ecuador kickoff time

This Copa America 2024 match kicks off from State Farm Stadium on June 30 at 6 p.m. local time in Glendale, Arizona . Here's how that time translates across all of the time zones in North America:

Copa America 2024 Group B standings

Mexico vs. Ecuador lineups, team news, starting 11

Mexico faces Ecuador without captain Edson Alvarez, who has been sidelined for the rest of the tournament due to a hamstring injury sustained against Jamaica. Luis Romo will likely continue as a holding midfielder alongside Luis Chavez in Alvarez's absence.

In the match against Venezuela, three newcomers — Cesar Huerta, Israel Reyes, and Alexis Vega — made their Copa America debuts as substitutes, adding depth to the Mexican squad.

None of them did well enough to earn a starting spot in the all-important group finale, but Orbelin Pineda does enter the XI for Mexico in place of Carlos Rodriguez , despite having missed a late penalty against Venezuela as a substitute.

Mexico starting lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): J. Gonzalez (GK) — J. Sanchez, Montes, J. Vasquez, Arteaga — Romo, Chavez — Antuna, Pineda, Quinones — Gimenez.

Mexico subs (14): Acevedo (GK), Rangel (GK), Orozco, Reyes, B. Garcia, B. Gonzalez, C. Rodriguez, E. Sanchez, Cortizo, Flores, Alvarado, Vega, Huerta, G. Martinez.

Meanwhile, Ecuador anticipates the return of Enner Valencia after his suspension following a red card in the opening match against Venezuela. Kevin Rodriguez led the attack in their match against Jamaica and keeps his place alongside 17-year-old Chelsea-bound Kendry Paez keeping his place.

Alan Minda scored his debut international goal from the bench last time out, but misses out as Ecuador make no changes to the starting XI.

Ecuador starting lineup (4-4-2, right to left): Dominguez (GK) — Preciado, Torres, Pacho, Hincapie — Paez, Franco, Caicedo, Sarmiento — K. Rodriguez, Valencia.

Ecuador subs (max 15): Matchday squad released one hour prior to kickoff

Mexico vs. Ecuador live stream, TV channel

USA: Mexico vs. Ecuador from the State Farm Stadium will be televised in the United States on Fox Sports, with a Spanish-language broadcast via TUDN USA and Univision. Those channels are available to stream on Fubo , who are offering a FREE seven-day trial . ViX is also providing a Spanish-language stream.

Canada: This match will be shown on TSN and RDS.

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