The Argentina team beat Iceland 3-0, this Tuesday (9), during a friendly match held at the Jordan-Hare Stadium, located in the state of Alabama, in the United States.
The goals in the final preparation match for the current world title holders before the start of the 2026 World Cup were scored by Valentín Barco, Lionel Messi and Thiago Almada.
The captain and number 10 of the South American team returned to the field after recovering from muscle damage in the back of his left thigh. The athlete reached the mark of 116 goals scored for his national team and number 911 in his entire professional career.
The squad led by coach Lionel Scaloni will have its next official appointment on Tuesday (16), the date on which it plays its debut game in the World Cup against Algeria. Group J of the world tournament also includes the participation of Austria and Jordan, in addition to the Argentines.
How was the game?
The opening minutes of the clash contained a moment of danger created by the Icelanders against the South Americans. In the third minute of the game, Gudmunsson overcame Giay’s marking and made a cross towards the small area, where Ellertsson appeared to finish, but the shot went out in the wrong direction and covered the opponent’s goal. The reaction of Lionel Scaloni’s coaching staff followed shortly thereafter.
Seven minutes into the opening half, after an intense contest with deflections in the Iceland penalty area, Valentín Barco took advantage of the ball hit in the front sector and made a first-time shot using his left leg, putting the ball close to the post to open the scoring. The rest of the first half passed at a reduced speed and with few real scoring opportunities.
Giuliano Simeone delivered a long-range shot that was dangerous in the 39th minute, while Nico Paz received a through ball in the box in the 40th minute, finishing without letting the ball fall, but the attempt was stopped by goalkeeper Ólafsson’s intervention.
Coach Scaloni made changes at half-time, making substitutions that allowed the entry of Lautaro Martínez, Enzo Fernández, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister and Cristian Romero. Center forward Flaco López, who plays for Palmeiras, did not find the net.
In the eleventh minute of the additional period, Nico Paz was triggered by a pass in the right sector and tried to serve Lautaro Martínez, who was unmarked in the opposite area, however the pass came out with excessive force. Later, in the 16th minute, Mac Allister wasted another goal chance.
In the 24th minute of the second half, Lionel Messi stepped onto the pitch to defend the Argentine team once again. In his initial intervention, the player served Lautaro Martínez in the area, resulting in a maximum penalty suffered by the center forward. In his next action, the team’s main athlete converted the kick, hitting the top corner to increase the advantage.
The entry of the Inter Miami professional gave greater dynamism to the duel, which also began to feature a more physically competitive style. In the final minutes, at 41, Messi led a quick transition and distributed the game to De Paul, who delivered the cross just enough for Thiago Almada to push it into the net on the opposite side and close the score.
