Even without mainstays Lionel Messi, Paulo Dybala, Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain, Argentina had no problem exploiting Guatemala’s spotty defense as a group of rising talents anchored interim manager Lionel Scaloni’s attack. Argentina rolled past Guatemala 3-0 in a friendly at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Friday night.
Gonzalo Martinez opened the scoring on a penalty kick in the 27th minute, and the lead ballooned late in the first half as Giovani Lo Celso (35th minute) and Giovanni Simeone (44th minute) both found the back of the net.
Argentina Flash Encouraging Signs Following World Cup Disappointment. The last time we saw Argentina in action, they crashed out of the World Cup against France. Since then, the Argentine Football Association has removed Jorge Sampaoli from his post on the bench and temporarily replaced him with Scaloni.
So far, that decision is paying dividends. Although Guatemala isn’t an appropriate measuring stick for a club of Argentina’s caliber, the South American dynamos looked sharp in their return to the pitch. To wit: Argentina logged a 17-5 advantage in total shots and controlled 61 per cent of the possession.
And even when Guatemala had attacking chances, they proved fleeting against a stout Argentina back line. Of course, Friday’s result won’t erase memories of this summer’s disappointments. But for the time being, it was a promising start that helped showcase the talents of players who represent the future.
Source: Bleacherreport.com
