The Argentine National Team, current world champion, asserted its worth and defeated El Salvador 3-0 with authority, in a friendly played at the Lincoln Financial Field stadium in Philadelphia, in a duel marked by the absence of the captain and emblem Lionel Messi.
With goals from Cristian Romero (m.16), Enzo Fernández (m.41) and Giovani Lo Celso (m.51), the National Team led by Lionel Scaloni won with authority in a duel in which Lautaro Martinez was left with 769 minutes of drought without being able to convert with the ‘albiceleste’ jacket.
The dominance of the Argentine National Team was extensive throughout the match against a rival that added its 21st match without victories with 10 draws and 11 losses and whose last victory was in June 2022, when it won 3-1 against Granada for the Concacaf National League.
The dominance of the Argentine team was reflected in the 16th minute when a corner taken by Ángel Di María ended in a precise header by Cristian Romero that left Salvadoran goalkeeper Mario González with no chance or reaction.
From there, Argentina continued to dominate the game and the ball, but the Central American team had its only clear option to level the result with a shot by Jairo Henríquez in the area that hit Cristian Romero in front of the Albiceleste goal.
In the 41st minute, Argentina expanded the lead with a combined play that led to Enzo Fernández, who only had to push it to the side of the goal line.
Argentina had three clear opportunities to go into the break with a greater difference on the scoreboard but the lack of aim in the final shot left the result with a two-goal advantage for the current world champions.
At the beginning of the second half, Lionel Scaloni moved his reliefs with the additions of Nicolás Otamendi on the defensive line and Alejandro Garnacho on offense.
The scoreboard took just six minutes to move to what would ultimately end up being the final result with a great play that ended with Giovani Lo Celso beating the goal defended by Mario González for the third time.
From that moment on, Argentina maintained possession of the ball, averaging close to 80 percent, but could not score due to two interventions by goalkeeper González, the withdrawal of all the El Salvador players and the Albiceleste obsession so that Lautaro Martínez could score.
After this presentation, Argentina will move from Philadelphia to Los Angeles where on Tuesday it will face Costa Rica at the Memorial Coliseum, while El Salvador, which had just drawn 1-1 with Boanire, will also face Honduras on Tuesday at the Shell Energy Stadium in Houston.
Match sheet:
0. El Salvador: Mario González; Bryan Tamacas (64′, Julio Sibrián), Melvin Cruz, Rudy Clavel, Jorge Cruz and Narciso Orellana (64′, Pablo Punyed); Nelson Flores (76′, Diego Flores), Christian Martínez, Darwin Cerén (72′, Melvin Cartagena); Jairo Henríquez (76′, Germán Fuentes) and Nelson Bonilla (76′, Jeremy Garay). Coach: David Dóniga.
3. Argentina: Emiliano Martinez; Nehuen Perez, Cristian Romero (72′, Nahuel Molina Star), Nicolas Tagliafico (55′, Valentine Ship) and Nicolas Gonzalez (46′, Nicolas Otamendi); Rodrigo De Paul (64′, Facundo Buonanotte), Leandro Paredes, Enzo Fernandez (46′, Alexander Garnacho) and Giovani Lo Celso (72′, Alexis Mac Allister); Angel Di Maria and Lautaro Martinez. Coach: Lionel Scaloni.
Goals: 0-1, m.16: Christian Rosemary. 0-2, m.41: Enzo Fernandez. 0-3, m.51: Giovani Lo Celso.
Referee: The American Víctor Vivas cautioned Narciso Orellana and Jorge Cruz.
Incidents: Friendly match played at the Lincoln Financial Field stadium in Philadelphia, before 13,500 spectators. EFE
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