"It's a good thing we didn't play the Finalissima. If we had played like that, we would have lost to Spain", said goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
His comments followed Argentina's disappointing 2-1 victory over Mauritania on 27/3. Mauritania is currently ranked 115th in the latest FIFA rankings, seven places below Vietnam, making Argentina's narrow win a cause for concern. The friendly match replaced the Finalissima, an Intercontinental Super Cup clash between Argentina and Spain. Initially, the two powerhouses were scheduled to meet at Lusail Stadium in Qatar. However, due to the Middle East conflict and organizational disagreements, the match was canceled.
Enzo Fernandez and Nico Paz gave Argentina a two-goal lead in the first half. However, after halftime, the reigning World Cup champions' performance declined, even after Lionel Messi was introduced. Martinez had to make three saves to secure the win before Jordan Lefort scored one goal for Mauritania in the 90+3rd minute.
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Martinez helped Argentina to a 2-1 friendly win over Mauritania on 27/3. Photo: AP |
Coach Lionel Scaloni also admitted that Argentina did not play well in any aspect. Martinez, for his part, reminded his teammates to show more dedication, passion, and determination when playing on the international stage.
Addressing criticism from the Spanish press regarding Argentina's form and friendly matches against weaker opponents, Martinez added: "It was the same before the last World Cup. We just need to focus on one match at a time. We have experience going far, and they don't".
Argentina will also play a friendly against Zambia, ranked 91st by FIFA, on 31/3. In June, the reigning champions will begin their journey to defend their title at the World Cup 2026, facing three opponents in Group J: Algeria, Austria, and Jordan.
While Argentina caused disappointment, Spain recently defeated Serbia 3-0 in another friendly. The Euro 2024 champions will play additional friendlies against Egypt and Peru before meeting Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay in World Cup Group H.
Argentina won the most recent Intercontinental Super Cup by defeating Italy 3-0 at Wembley Stadium in England. Afterward, they lost 1-2 to Saudi Arabia in their opening match of the World Cup 2022 but still went all the way and claimed the title. In the final, Martinez used both his skill and psychological tactics to help Argentina defeat France 4-2 in a penalty shootout.
Thanh Quy (Source: MD)
