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00:00Lays them advantage and then decided there really wasn't a leap.
00:19Coaching the hour mark here at Jordan-Hair Stadium in front of nearly 88,000.
00:27It's Argentina's seventh consecutive game against opponents ranked 49 or lower by FIFA in the world.
00:36After Honduras last week, previous games against Zambia, Mauritania, Angola, Puerto Rico and Venezuela, Ali.
00:46In that category.
00:50I don't know if that's a category.
00:54It's the shot that's on.
00:56Ooh, and that's packed a punch for sure.
01:00Good move inside by Haraldsson, the man who plays for Lille in France.
01:04The Iceland fans here thought they had an equalizer.
01:07It's all too easy. This is concerning for Argentina.
01:10It's all too easy how a little quick give and go frees up Haraldsson.
01:15No line of confrontation from the midfield and no line of confrontation from the back line either.
01:20And so Haraldsson just kind of, all right, well, I keep dribbling.
01:23I keep going towards goal. Nobody's going to step to me, so I'll take a shot on.
01:28If we put it on target, maybe we're 1-1.
01:30Missed the target, still 1-0.
01:32Well, we've seen that much of him so far, but he's an only prized asset by Iceland.
01:40He was the Icelandic Footballer of the Year at the age of 19.
01:47And so they're now managed by Arnard Gunnlaugsen, a 53-year-old who took over in 2025.
01:55Actually, it was under Jaime Hal Grimson that they had their glory years, Ali.
01:59It was Euro and World Cup appearances.
02:04Hal Grimson currently trying to restore the same sort of story for Ireland.
02:17Long diagonal ball, right on the money for Simeone, who slips it through.
02:22Opportunity, perhaps, for Lautaro.
02:25And back off the post.
02:29Lautaro Martinez teeing it up.
02:33And it looked, quite frankly, easier to score, Alec, but...
02:40It all starts with Lautaro Martinez and the contact with Magnussen, the defender.
02:46They're running together, they're running together, and then as he tries to run in behind,
02:50seems to step on Magnussen, which then frees up Lautaro Martinez.
02:53He makes the correct decision, puts it onto the pass of Alexis McAllister,
02:57and to your point, should have scored.
03:00Almost too relaxed, almost too comfortable.
03:03Should have scored.
03:04Does not, still 1-0.
03:10That's two...
03:11The only big misses we've seen at that end of the field.
03:16As an instant booking is handed out there, and a little bit of a flare-up.
03:20McAllister has the man down.
03:23Johannesson in the eye of the storm for Iceland, the FC Korn man.
03:34All right, calm down, people.
03:44Look, it's a foul.
03:45Fine.
03:47I don't know why we're making such a big deal out of this.
03:50Yes.
03:50Makes contact with the back of the leg of Alexis McAllister, and then everybody gets push,
03:56and a shove, and a push, and a shove, and what are we doing?
04:05It actually goes to the same conversation of players.
04:12While they're getting their minutes in ahead of the World Cup, they're also all concerned that, hey,
04:17nobody wants an injury at this point, and anything that seems like could potentially be a bad challenge,
04:24then people get all worked up, unnecessarily so.
04:27Yeah.
04:28A few people getting worked up.
04:30Uh-huh.
04:32A slight raise in the decibel level.
04:35I mean one thing it's about to happen.
04:39Nope.
04:39And there it is.
04:51Before that moment arrives, Argentina will try and thrive on the free kick earned by Maldon
04:57McAllister.
05:06All on the ground, and safely taken by Olofsson.
05:11I'll tell you what the reasoning was there by Enzo Fernandez.
05:13I said, well, with this guy coming on the field, Messi, nobody else is taking free kicks,
05:18so I might as well get mine when I can.
05:27And the ball dribbling out of play, and will this be the moment?
05:47Again, a little slipping out of the back by Argentina, we've seen that a few times tonight.
05:54And it's, uh, unable to make any headway, and now it's an adventurous ball, and a perfect one from Enzo
06:01Fernandez.
06:04Releasing DePaul.
06:06Not the end product he was seeking.
06:13But it's encouraging to see Rodrigo Ruiz full speed running in behind.
06:22There he is again.
06:48And the minute's gone on the second half.
06:50Good triangles played by the Argentina midfield.
06:56Oh, and back off the post again.
07:02Same post in the same area of the penalty box, and once again, Argentina denied.
07:08It's a really good combination play from Argentina.
07:11And Lautaro Martinez, who barely stays in an onside position, being kept on by Magnussen.
07:16Opens up his body, wants to bend it around Olufsen.
07:19Does that, but not of the post and in, instead of the post and out.
07:25who, who, who, who, who, who, who, who.
07:30Who, who, who, who, who, who, who, who.
07:31Thiago Almada.
07:33From the Atlanta United man.
07:36Familiar with this part of the world.
07:40Three years.
07:42Just an hour and a half up the road from here.
07:46Lot of these fans have said,
07:47just kick the ball out of bounds please so we can make this change well there's
07:52been many legendary Auburn football players over the years that have played
07:56here James Brown has played here the Beach Boys have played here Kenny
07:59Chesney has played in this stadium but never until now Lionel Messi is about
08:07to change we're gonna see Gonzalo Montiel by the way a side note very much a side
08:24note the man who came on with Messi a cooling break brought to you by Gatorade
08:32before we get to see I think they're keeping them waiting here I mean you got
08:36that wrong agent this one is brought you by Celsius oh it is you are right eat the
08:43eagle-eyed spotting of our advertising commitments are they well done
08:51I'll do it again this cooling break is brought to you by Celsius
08:59still 1-0 Argentina now they have at their moment and they to get themselves well and
09:08truly clear at this point look shots back off the post in the last 10 minutes
09:15while you like for those opportunities to be finished and to be put into the back of
09:33Argentina and then now you are Lionel Messi that's when you start building a case for
09:37Argentina thinking yeah there is something special about this group still I don't know
09:42if it's gonna be enough but a group that is talented nonetheless and of course when it
09:48comes to talent yeah none bigger than you know Messi well and one Lionel talking to the other there
09:55and uh you know Scaloni has been a little uh uh Disney by some of the suggestions that uh it's
10:03uh
10:03Messi that's running this team he went to great lengths in the press conference to uh rubbish those
10:10rumors from the Spanish press mainly but Messi is on and is it's cap number 199 for him
10:20an international journey an alley that started in 2005.
10:31remember she was famously sent off on his debut for Argentina against Hungary
10:42underreported John Thorne Steinsen has just come on the field for Iceland
10:47yeah
10:50number C for uh Smeone
10:53that's one of those uh Argentina switches and here he is getting his first
10:57station getting involved immediately and setting it up and the little clip
11:02goes just wide from Lautaro but is it a penalty the referee is pointed to the spot
11:10the back line of Iceland all over the place someone's stepping and then you have to ride back just
11:15keeping everybody on side it's good ball from Lionel Messi as you would expect and Lautaro
11:20Martinez tries to go with the attempt over the goalkeeper Olofsson who comes out of
11:25his goal somewhat out of control thinking that he's going to have to make the save does not make the
11:30contact that he that he would want on Lautaro Martinez he's late and the sliding challenge
11:36takes him down foul and now the opportunity for Lionel Messi and for these fans to enjoy Lionel Messi scoring
11:44a goal
11:51in the middle of the two after coming on the pitch he opens things up for Lautaro Martinez to win
11:57the penalty
11:57and now Messi trying to take advantage against Iceland
12:02slot it home with conchumities
12:06ironically just like he couldn't do against them at the world cup in 2018 but this is goal number 117
12:14for number 10
12:25so he's on the field for a minute puts the ball in behind and it is that contact
12:31that leg out stretch from Olofsson on Lautaro Martinez
12:37Lionel Messi slow run up hoping and waiting that the goalkeeper is going to move he doesn't so then
12:43decides to go with a little bit more power
12:47all of a sudden full stretch can't quite get there good execution from Lionel Messi
12:51to do nothing Argentine
12:59he had been out for uh it's about two and a half weeks
13:05he's back on the school sheet within minutes of coming back and Messi is at it again
13:15there's just different know-how a different energy when Lionel Messi's on the field for Argentina
13:21and it's a different quality not certainly not that pass but in general
13:28his first touch on the ball it's it's a splitting pass for Lautaro Martinez he puts him through on goal
13:35second touch is putting the ball into the back of the net through the penalty spot
13:40and you just get the sense that when everything goes through Messi
13:44the picture for Argentina is far more dangerous in terms of what they're able to do in the attack
13:58and he's uh about to play in his uh record-breaking sixth world cup
14:07so too is Cristiano Ronaldo
14:12possibly Guillermo Ochoa as well
14:21a much less heralded sixth world cup appearance
14:30Messi will be chasing the all-time record
14:35and already has the record in terms of appearances
14:39at world cup finals he's 26 and he's 13 goals
14:44which puts him three behind the all-time leader
14:46that nearest off close-up
14:52so
14:52so
15:00so
15:03so
15:21I feel Hanna sent for Ice Lodge.
15:32This is only the 10th time they've played South American opponents.
15:40Two wins.
15:44Referee reaching for another card and another yellow.
15:50You're not going to think this is a foul, to be honest with you.
15:55Dr. Martinez wins the ball.
16:00Wins the ball.
16:03If you cannot make this sort of talent, the game is gone.
16:09Yeah.
16:10He was definitely there first, wasn't he?
16:11And on the ground and connected with ball,
16:13players seemed to follow through and just tumble over the top.
16:21For me, it's not foul, but certainly not a yellow card.
16:25Right.
16:25I'm trying to be good for a minute.
16:38Oscarson beaten to it by Medina.
16:42Well, Einstein can go again.
16:44They won't have any more football after tonight until they're playing the Nations League in September.
16:55giving the foul there and the players did not like that one bit either.
17:08on the receiving end.
17:14Again, was that a foul?
17:15Well, I've already made my opinion very clear.
17:21Adrian.
17:22I don't know.
17:23I don't know.
17:24Maybe you see the tight uniform to refer he's got on.
17:26He's got to blow that whistle quick.
17:31I think the bar has been set pretty low for what constitutes a foul and what constitutes a yellow card,
17:39apparently.
17:39So I can't count rising in this friendly.
17:43I don't know.
17:43I don't know.
17:43I don't know.
18:12I don't know.
18:13I don't know.
18:13I don't know.
18:13I don't know.
18:17I don't know.
18:19Another yellow card coming out just to.
18:26Armada
18:29That's the player
18:31At the end of the challenge this time
18:34The argument that Rodrigo Deport is trying to make
18:38The guys landing players
18:39Look
18:42Take it easy
18:44You have a World Cup to play
18:47The argument from Iceland is
18:50It wasn't even a foul
18:51I didn't touch him
18:52What do you want me to do?
18:53Not to challenge the ball?
18:58And a lot of this has to do
19:00And I know I've made a comment
19:02About the referee
19:03Yeah, you've got to calm things down
19:05But you're the one who's
19:07Who's actually
19:07Because of all the yellow cards
19:09And because some of the challenges are starting to fly
19:12You're the one who's
19:14Not helping the situation
19:17And here's Messi trying to get back to business
19:20This is the directing traffic
19:24DePaul
19:24With him
19:26Messi
19:29Left
19:39Dina
19:42Honestly done
19:43And Enzo Fernandez
19:44As the beneficiary
19:45Oh, and he's done really well
19:47To dribble through a couple of challenges
19:49Messi
19:49On the prowl
19:51Needs an outlet
19:52One arriving
19:57Cross over done
20:01It's about the third or fourth
20:03Really good combination
20:04That we have seen
20:05Through the midfield of Argentina
20:06Once everybody
20:08That we expect to be in the field
20:10Actually starts
20:11Getting touches on the ball
20:13And the movement of the ball is sharp
20:15The touches on the ball are sharp
20:17The passing of the ball is sharp
20:19Good signs for Linnelles Calone
20:21And Argentina
20:26Haslam have some numbers
20:27Moving forward here
20:32And Anderson
20:33With the layoff
20:34As Haraldson
20:49And Anderson
20:50With the giveaway
20:52It's a gift
20:52It must have only ever beaten
21:02Two South American nations
21:04Ali
21:04You knew I was going to mention this
21:06Didn't you
21:06They beat Bolivia
21:071-0
21:08In a build-up to the 94 World Cup
21:10One of his only appearance
21:12As Messi frittance to break through
21:15This time the whistle's out
21:19And it's also the small matter of a 1-0 win against the Vino Tinto of Venezuela in 2022.
21:28Can I see you, Adrian?
21:31Unnecessarily so.
21:32It's about the third or fourth shot that you take at Venezuela in this world.
21:35Or in this road to the World Cup game that we're coming tonight.
21:40I'm not going to take it personally, but it feels like there's a whole lot of...
21:46research that you have done and the things that have gone wrong for Venezuela.
21:51And somehow they're both related to Argentina nicely.
21:55I'm just sad they're not going to be a part of the summer jamborealis.
22:00This was supposed to be the year.
22:03You're not making it better.
22:10Yeah, it's good things that I've turned the page, though. I'm really over it.
22:14I can tell.
22:15Oh, I've dealt with it really well.
22:19Here's Gilfie Sigurdsson, one of the...
22:23members of Iceland's glorious era.
22:27Which was nearly a decade ago now.
22:29He's going to come on.
22:31Kristal Ingersson as well.
22:48And Gudjonsson, he's a famous name, isn't he?
22:50In Icelandic footballing law.
22:53There's a young Daniel Gudjonsson, the son of Heidea, who's going to come on.
23:14And Ari Oskarsson, the end of...
23:17It's been a really good year for him with Real Sociedad.
23:28Here's Messi with the free kick, bending it in, and sliding in to Miedic.
23:39Really nice delivery for Cristian Romero to try and get on the end of.
23:44Pretty sure Cristian Romero was in an outside position.
23:53Because otherwise, the ball comes off out on Gunnarsson and it should have been a corner kick.
23:57I'm guessing Cristian Romero was in an outside position.
24:09Sigurdsson, one of those coming on.
24:12Bevy of late changes for now Gunn Laugsen, the 53-year-old coach of Iceland.
24:32Gylfi Sigurdsson, who is at the age of 36, is now playing back in Iceland with Veikinger of Reykjavik.
24:41After a glorious career that took in the likes of Spurs, Everton and Swansea in the Premier League.
24:52Good looking free kick and, well, an open header, a wide open header for Gunnarsson.
25:02He's almost too open.
25:07Good service from Sigurdsson.
25:11He just tries to do too much with the header.
25:15Gave him a full Viking treatment to this thing rather than just redirect it back where it came from.
25:25From somebody who's follically challenged, like myself, maybe slipped off of the top of his sweaty head.
25:32It happens.
25:33Yep, you always have to account for that, Alec.
25:36Yeah, well.
25:36Judging where ahead he goes.
25:40You know, you know about the subject there, being follically challenged.
25:43Very familiar with the discipline.
25:57Stewie in the studio knows very well what we're talking about.
26:00Yeah, we have a fair share in that department, don't we?
26:10You know, sometimes you get sweaty and it's a wet ball and it slips over the top of your head.
26:18You don't make the contact that you want with a header.
26:20It's an actual point, but, you know.
26:32Five minutes to go here in Auburn.
26:38The crowd getting what they came for.
26:41Just an appearance but a goal from Lionel Messi.
26:43Argentina just trying to ease their way through the final minutes of preparation here before the World Cup gets underway
26:51in earnest in a week's time.
26:53Here's Messi.
26:54Sliding it through again.
26:55Surely!
26:56And it is number three.
27:00Beautiful finish in the end from Almada.
27:05And it was so well worked as the Aston defence just melted.
27:15You want to repeat that, Adrian, because he was cute.
27:20And they did melt.
27:21Now, the option, initial option, was to find Maltaro Martinez.
27:27But Rodrigo De Paul says, you know, let me just give it to Messi.
27:30He'll figure it out.
27:31But Rodrigo De Paul, more importantly, he continued his movement.
27:34He continued his running behind.
27:35And Tiago Armada also then became a presence inside the 18-yard box.
27:39While Lautaro Martinez drifted towards the far post.
27:42Almada covers his pace in the middle.
27:44Good layoff from Rodrigo De Paul.
27:46Tapping from Icona range.
27:49Arena.
27:50Argentina.
27:53I tell you what, Ali, there were plenty of fans of the Five Stripes just up the road in Atlanta.
27:57Wish he was still around these parts more often.
28:00And he's fabulous to watch in his three years with MLS.
28:09Hasn't been able to capture that sort of level of play consistently.
28:15So with Atletico Madrid.
28:16Kind of still trying to figure out what his role is in that club under Diego Simeone.
28:24Yeah.
28:26Maybe next year it will be the year for him.
28:29He played 27 times so often it was off the bench, wasn't it, for Atletico.
28:33Atletico.
28:35Three goals.
28:40Still only 25, Diego Armada.
28:43Goal number five ahead for Argentina.
28:58I think he bears repeating.
29:00We made the point earlier, but there's just a different level of clarity in the attack.
29:11He's obviously the reference point.
29:13Everybody looks for him.
29:15And he resolves issues for everybody.
29:21Just give him the ball and he figures out what to do next.
29:25It makes them far more dangerous, far more dynamic, far more creative.
29:33Defensively, you're sacrificing some things, but are things that are good.
29:40And I think it's Kalon is comfortable sacrificing because of what you gain offensively.
29:44When your name misses on the field, Argentina are a different team.
29:48Yeah.
29:49What do you think?
29:52Leonor Scaloni has come closer to answering questions he may have had about his first choice
30:00starting level from what he's seen here tonight.
30:05Well, we'll come back to that question because the offside flag has stayed down for now and a chance.
30:11And the rampage to make.
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