Messi makes his mark off the bench as Argentina all set for World Cup defense
Argentina, the defending champion, rounded off its World Cup preparations with a comfortable friendly win over Iceland on Tuesday.
It was a win that felt like the start of a World Cup for Argentina: a game played with a sharper edge than you’d expect from a pre-tournament friendly. Tuesday’s game against Iceland was the kind of matchup Lionel Scaloni admitted beforehand he would have preferred to avoid. And although it ended in a comfortable 3-0 victory for the Albiceleste, kickoff itself was briefly in doubt after a torrential pregame downpour.
How Argentina’s win unfolded:
The reigning world champions didn’t take unnecessary risks, lining up a hybrid side that mixed a handful of regular starters with reserves. In a game that never really hit a high tempo, Argentina still made clear that its command of the ball goes well beyond whoever happens to be named in the starting XI. Valentín Barco opened the scoring, thanks in no small part to a priceless contribution from Giuliano Simeone. The Atlético Madrid forward was among the clear winners to emerge from these World Cup tune-ups.
In a matchup played with an eye on Lionel Messi’s eventual arrival, Iceland refused to fold despite coming in as the underdog. The opening goal landed hard on the Europeans, who had their moments in possession but ultimately revealed the gap in quality against an Argentina side that moves the ball instinctively, no matter who’s out there.
Messi the mastermind
The night in Auburn also served as a valuable tune-up for Nico Paz, who returned to action after recovering from injury. And then there was Messi, who came off the bench and quickly made his presence felt, setting up Lautaro Martínez in a sequence that led to a penalty, which the substitute calmly converted. His 25-minute cameo didn’t stop there: he also assisted Thiago Almada to stretch the lead, putting an emphatic stamp on a long-awaited return to the pitch.
The friendly wrapped up in Alabama with eight yellow cards - two for Argentina, six for Iceland - a reflection that there was no red carpet despite the World Cup just around the corner. Still, after 90 minutes, the story once again circled back to Messi, and to how Argentina understands the game just a little bit better when its leader is on the field.
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