Winning a world title is a carefully orchestrated mix of tactical innovation, player fitness and ruthless competitiveness. In the first pre-World Cup friendly, Argentina had it all in a 2-0 win against a predictably defense-heavy Honduras team at Kyle Field in College Station, TX.
The reigning world champions were unbeatable from the get-go as manager Lionel Scaloni turned his squad thick and fast, but they dominated possession and flooded the defenders with fluid and multi-layered attacks.
Establishing Early Dominance and the Opening Breakthrough
There was no ambiguity about the match’s tactical language from the get-go. Argentina had all the control, and they were able to supercharge the tempo by playing deep in the Honduran half and passing the ball with accuracy from midfield to midfield. The Italian duo of Giovani Lo Celso and Thiago Almada dominated the midfield, with the former periodically finding himself in a free-kick position, following the Portuguese wide players. The Italians, Giovani Lo Celso and Thiago Almada, dominated the midfield, often leaving the Hondurans’ fullbacks with empty spaces to exploit.
Heavy on defence looking to lay the groundwork for the next decade of qualification, Honduras had a difficult time controlling the ball. The Central Americans were unable to cross midfield in many of the first half’s long spells without giving possession away.
Honduras demonstrated good structural discipline inside their own box but it was only to be expected that they broke down under the pressure. Veteran defender Nicolás Tagliafico burst into the area and came under a rough challenge in the 34th minute. The referee didn’t hesitate when he was pointing to the spot.
Lautaro Martínez took the initiative, calmly hitting Honduran goalkeeper Edrick Menjívar the wrong way in the 36th minute. Martínez was almost given the opportunity to double his count just before half-time when a fine through-ball was passed to him and he attempted to turn a corner on the alert Menjívar, but the poised goalkeeper did his job perfectly to bring a 45-0 first-half to a close.
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The advantage is doubled thanks to Simeone’s brilliance
Scaloni made his first changes in the second half, bringing on Valentín Barco and Nicolás Tagliafico for Rodrigo De Paul and Facundo Medina, respectively, to shake things up on the left. The change in tactic paid off in short order.
The Argentineans produced the game highlight to double their lead in the 54th minute. Lautaro Martínez kicked off a sharp combination and took the ball at the edge of the box, before feeding a very clever and perfect backheel pass straight on to the path of Giuliano Simeone. Simeone’s perfect timing for the diagonal, mastery of the ball and composure as he finished past Menjívar made the thousands of Texas supporters in the packed stands roar with excitement.
Controlling the Squad and Keeping the Captain Safe
Scaloni went ahead and made his substitutions, making a huge change after the first 50 minutes with the game comfortably in his hands and control of the pitch. The key players such as Lautaro Martínez, Thiago Almada and Lisandro Martínez were given some much needed rest after a change of three came in the 61st minute and was well-deserved for them.
With the heavy rotation, the crowd had a chance to express their expectations. Kyle Field was filled with loud cheers for Lionel Messi as the second half proceeded. Scaloni was still very disciplined with his medical roadmap and was able to keep his legendary captain well on the bench, while Messi remains well on the road to recovery from what is deemed a minor calf strain. The physical baseline of the talismanic forward had to be maintained in the face of a grueling tournament schedule just days away, and not a demand of the public.
Even if Messi hadn’t been in the mix, the depth of the Argentina squad was on full display. Late on, substitute Tomás Aranda struck again with a great shot from distance that Menjívar had to save from on-the-stretch with a perfect reflex save, or it would have been a third.
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A Perfect Rehearsal for the Biggest Stage
The practice was a success for the Albiceleste coaching staff in Texas when the final whistle rang. Honduras provided a solid physical challenge, which tested Argentina’s defensive strength in the face of a low defensive block, but rarely made a challenge on Juan Musso and the backup of Santiago Beltrán.
The Argentina side’s perfect record and effective attacking organisation are justifications for the side’s progress in training camp. The team is great looking, fully fit for the hot summer conditions, and is very cohesive, despite kicking a few subbers in.
Passing this easy hurdle, Argentina will head to their final pre-tournament test against Iceland on June 10, fully assured their machine runs like a dream when it comes to defending the world’s crown.
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