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00:00It's Argentina's final friendly before the start of the World Cup. Lionel Messi
00:05doesn't start for the defending champions. They've been very aware of monitoring his minutes ahead
00:11of kickoff. Meanwhile, great support here in the stands at Auburn University.
00:19More eagle is a chant that obviously resonates around this stadium and the eagle released as
00:25his tradition ahead of kickoff as it circles the fans who are in good voice here tonight.
00:32The weather has cleared up. It is turning into a beautiful evening for soccer. It's Argentina
00:37against Iceland live here on ESPN. The world champions make their final stop prior to
00:44beginning the defense of their World Cup trophy in a in a week's time. It's an unprecedented
00:50port of call for this Argentina team. Legendary Jordan Hare Stadium here in Auburn, Alabama. I'm
00:56with Alejandro Moreno and a chance for some of Argentina's squad members to make an impression
01:01today, Ali, as we look at this starting 11. Young Icelandic strikers to go up against tonight.
01:07Primarily number nine, Ori Oskarsson, who's really caught the eye in Spain.
01:12Yeah, he has. And in terms of Otamendi chasing around young strikers, I think Nicolas Otamendi is
01:18having difficulties chasing all strikers. So all set for action. Last stop for Argentina.
01:25There's been so much talk about how difficult it is to defend a World Cup trophy and certainly history
01:30tells us that. That is exactly what they will set out to do in a week's time when the World
01:37Cup gets
01:38underway for them in Kansas City. But for tonight, so much to enjoy here at Jordan Hare Stadium.
01:47They were closing in on a capacity sellout. Close to 87,000 here and so many Argentina fans
01:54have traveled for far and wide. Perhaps an early indication as to whether we're going to see
01:59similar scenes as to those we saw in Qatar three and a half years ago when it seemed like the
02:05whole
02:05country of Argentina had made the trip to Qatar, Alec. Second time in four nights after their
02:12journey to College Station to beat Honduras on Saturday. It's a fairly comfortable win for them.
02:18Alec, I know you saw that game as they're on the attack here.
02:23Initial shot was charged down and the follow-up from Jose Lopez.
02:32Here's Giovanni Lo Celso.
02:37Lo Celso maintaining his place in the starting lineup. Iceland able to thwart the threat and
02:43launch a counter-attack themselves. This is Albert Goodmanson on the move.
02:48Up against Hiei. Standing right back and a chance for Iceland. What a ball in that was.
02:56It's somehow there was no touch on it. Ellerson arriving.
03:02Ellerson sets up his run to the back post and Goodmanson puts it into a dangerous area. It is poor
03:07defending from Hiei to begin with and poor defending at the back post and quite frankly
03:12Adrian Healy. That is indeed my kind of range. It's a tap-in for Ellerson.
03:17Healy. That's a good point. He's been unable to get his foot on the ball in a way that he
03:22could make the
03:22contact to keep it down.
03:25Goes high on him and it is a miss for Iceland. Wasted opportunity.
03:36Changed looking front line for Argentina today. Trying to connect there.
03:42The ball over the top for Barco. There is Lionel Scaloni. The fourth youngest to win a World Cup
03:50in history. And the youngest since 1978 when another great Argentine Cesar Luis Minotti lifted the trophy on home soil.
04:05It's just hard. It's hard to win the World Cup once. It's hard to win it back to back.
04:12A lot of things have to go your way. Most of all you're going to have to have outstanding performances
04:18on back-to-back World Cup from a very similar group. We just saw Lionel Scaloni and Lionel Scaloni
04:23he decided to make this group about experience. Didn't quite renew the group all that much
04:30and it feels like it's ride or die with the guys that I know have gone through this and are
04:36going to be
04:36able to handle the moment. Is that going to be enough? That's another big question.
04:42Yeah, very much themes of familiarity and continuity. Lionel Scaloni, over two-thirds of the squad that
04:50went to Qatar still very much involved as Argentina to create some havoc. And down on the ground is
04:58Giuliani Simeone and almost fell back to him and then the shot all along the ground. An instinctive
05:04left-footed effort from Valentin Barco and Argentina to light the crowd here at Auburn by taking an early lead.
05:24And I spoke earlier about Valentin Barco that he had a good match against Honduras and he's one of those
05:29players that is making a case for Lionel Scaloni. This is Joe's poor defender from Iceland. Opportunity to
05:35clear it, clear it, clear it, somebody clear it, clear it, get rid of it, clear it. No, all right,
05:39fine.
05:40Then give an opportunity to Valentin Barco on top of the 18-yard box and give him credit.
05:46Stays with it. Snapshot through a whole lot of bodies. The goalkeeper from Iceland sees it late. By the
05:52time he reacts, it's too late. Full stretch, can't quite get there. One-nothing. Good finish
05:55from Valentin Barco. And again, poor defending from Iceland. Unable to clear their lines. One-nothing.
06:03Argentina. Part in proceedings of Enzo Fernandez. Of course, he's on the bench tonight.
06:16given away and a chance for Lopez to lead the charge.
06:25Cutting inside. Awkward for the keeper. Got enough on it to steer it to safety for now.
06:31And then a miss-hit shot on the follow-up from Simeone. And Iceland survive, barely.
06:39And maybe I'm going to give an excuse to Nico Paz. Poor distribution play for
06:45Nice and a turnover. That indeed the field conditions are not helping him out. But it
06:53felt like it was one of those moments in which you need to read the situation a whole lot better.
06:58Those two teams have only met once before, but it was at a World Cup. It was almost exactly
07:05eight years ago to the day in Moscow. It was the opening game for both teams and it ended as
07:10a 1-1 draw.
07:12That was when Iceland were perhaps at the at the peak of their powers.
07:21Jose Lopez has only made one start in his career for Argentina prior to that. He sets that up with
07:30an invitation.
07:36That's really good work from Jose Manuel El Flaco Lopez. Good turn in open space, able to find the supporting
07:44run on the right.
07:45Marseille keeper, who's winning just his eighth Argentina camp tonight.
07:50So still awaiting number one keeper, Emi Martinez's return to fitness.
08:00Uh-oh. All right. Yep. Yeah, there he is. Okay. Everybody go crazy. They're all clapping for Rodrigo de Paul,
08:08I'm sure.
08:11The bodyguard, he's always always by his side.
08:16I thought I was astonished to read this is their first European opponent they've had since the World Cup final
08:21against France at the end of 2022.
08:30I'm sure Argentina would argue that when you play three and a half years worth of qualifiers in Commonwealth that
08:37that
08:39it's as competitive as it gets but point taken and oh, by the way, I said that Valentin Barco
08:45perhaps may struggle with his size and the physicality of the game. He decides, you know what,
08:49I'll just go in a two-footed challenge and prove you wrong. It's almost like he was listening, Ali.
08:59The upshot is the free kick here, which Goodman soon is standing over. Johannesson as well.
09:08That's Goodman soon who takes it and didn't clear the first offender.
09:12I'm not sure Barco, who's everywhere at the moment, isn't he? I'm sure he was the full 10 yards and
09:17certainly feeling the effects. This is club football in Italy with Genoa.
09:31Rodina in at left back tonight.
09:36Gets him with a chicken wing.
09:40It's ugly to get their way through the knockout rounds of that tournament.
09:46Beating Brazil. Remember it well.
09:50That sort of situation which you have that moment of magic for Lionel Messi, but how much magic will we
09:56see?
09:58I'm not quite sure.
10:00Yeah, let's get excited. Lionel Messi.
10:03Yeah.
10:06Are you sure it's not Enzo Fernandes, the cherry?
10:09No, nor is it Cristian Romero either.
10:20There's Lissandro Martinez.
10:23An interesting man at the back of an injury-wrecked campaign, but is fit at the right time.
10:30Here's an opportunity for Simeone, and the shot in the end right at Olafsson.
10:38Simeone was perhaps the most dangerous attacking threat at times, and that's in a team with Julian Alvarez in it.
10:49And assuming, of course, that Lionel Messi's on the field. Oh, good lord.
10:54Yeah.
10:55Cheap giveaway. Can Argentina exploit it?
10:58Nice ball over the top. Good goalkeeping there by Olafsson. Needed to be.
11:03Nice.
11:05Nico Paz got on the end of this.
11:08How many of these turnovers have we seen from Iceland?
11:11That's good ball in behind from Valentin Barco. Nico Paz, willing runner, and Olafsson
11:17makes this save squarely with his nose.
11:23Takes it off the face.
11:26What do I know?
11:34Still Argentina. Goal to the good, thanks to that man.
11:38Valentin Barco puts in another rambunctious challenge, shall we say?
11:42And now he's going to be booked.
11:45It's a side note.
11:47Was there not a bigger uniform for the referee today?
11:50He's wearing this medium.
11:54Valentin Barco once again late. He was late on the two-footed challenge earlier on.
11:58It comes again with the out of control.
12:02And I'm sure for both sets of players,
12:05they have been training the facilities of Auburn University,
12:08they're probably thinking to themselves,
12:12just...
12:13Oh, the shots all along the grounds.
12:16Yeah.
12:20The first teams to pencil their names in for World Cup 2026.
12:25Here they are trying to put a couple on their first-half display.
12:30Nico Paz has been driven a little wide, ultimately.
12:35It was just in the promise much, and delivered very little there for Argentina.
12:39That should just about do it in this first half.
12:42And indeed, the half-time whistle sounds.
12:46I don't know if it's a 45 minutes you can easily sum up, Ali,
12:49but Argentina lead by a goal to nil, thanks to Valentin Barco.
12:54First 22-23 minutes from Argentina, very good, very active, engaged.
12:59The last 22-23 minutes, forgettable from both teams.
13:04Alexis McAllister, leading the game number 21, Jose Manuel Lopez,
13:10first-placed by number 2, Decoore Martino.
13:17Started with third place at Copa America in 2019, then won it.
13:21The next two editions.
13:23Here it is, his team on the prowl again, looking for a second.
13:28That's worked by Simeone to tee it up.
13:31Is there an end product?
13:32Inzo Fernandes trying to provide one, but
13:36Olafsson narrowing down the angle, and Iceland able to breathe again.
13:40To where you can find the center forward.
13:42In this case, Lautaro Martinez, although his movement wasn't the best inside the 18-yard box,
13:47he's putting his hands down, like, give it to my feet.
13:49But if you move, you can actually find a tapping at the back post.
13:55Oscar Cernu wears number nine for Iceland,
13:57grabbed a couple of goals against Canada.
13:59Ken Marsh, Iceland got an incredible 2-2 draw now.
14:05The stretch is provided by Argentina on the break.
14:09Oh, and Nico Paz's ball across just eluding Lautaro.
14:15That full stretch.
14:17It all starts for the two center backs from Iceland, challenging for the same ball,
14:21and now they get themselves out of position.
14:23Nico Paz takes a good first start forward.
14:25Now he's going to find Lautaro Martinez.
14:28It's a pass that needs to be completed with the right pace.
14:31And if it is completed with the right pace, it's a tapping from my counter range.
14:35By FIFA in the world.
14:38After Honduras last week, previous games against Zambia, Mauritania, Angola, Puerto Rico,
14:46and Venezuela, Ali, in that category.
14:50Oh.
14:52I don't know if that's the category we want to be in.
14:54I don't know.
15:14Right on the money for Simeone who slips it through.
15:18Opportunity perhaps for Lautaro.
15:20And back off the post.
15:24Lautaro Martinez teeing it up.
15:29And it looked, quite frankly, easier to score, Alec, but...
15:35It all starts with Lautaro Martinez and the contact with Magnussen, the defender.
15:41They're running together.
15:42They're running together.
15:43And then as he tries to run in behind, seems to step on Magnussen,
15:47which then frees up Lautaro Martinez.
15:48He makes a correct decision.
15:50Puts it onto the pass of electric McAllister.
15:53And to your point, should have scored.
15:55Almost too relaxed.
15:57Almost too comfortable.
15:58Should have scored.
15:59Does not.
16:00Still won nothing.
16:05That's two really big misses we've seen at that end of the field.
16:11As an instant booking is handed out there and a little bit of a flare-up.
16:15McAllister puts the man down.
16:18Johanesson in the eye of the storm for Iceland, the FC Colman.
16:26He gets a foul.
16:28Fine.
16:29I don't know why we're making such a big deal out of this.
16:32Yes, makes contact with the back of the leg of Alexi McAllister.
16:36And then everybody gets pushed and a shove and a push and a shove.
16:40And what are we doing?
16:44Well, Scaloni has been a little irked, isn't he, by some of the suggestions that it's
16:50Messi that's running this team.
16:53He went to great lengths in the press conference to rubbish those
16:57rumors from the Spanish press mainly.
16:59But Messi is on.
16:59Messi.
17:00And is it's cap number 199 for him.
17:06It's one of those Argentina switches.
17:09And here he is getting his first pitch and getting involved immediately.
17:12And setting it up.
17:14And the little clip goes just wide from Lautaro.
17:17But is it a penalty?
17:18The referee is pointed to the spot.
17:23The back line of Iceland all over the place.
17:26Some are stepping and then you have the right back just keeping everybody on side.
17:30It's a good ball from Leonard Messi as you would expect.
17:33And Lautaro Martinez tries to go with the attempt over the goalkeeper Olofsson who comes out of
17:38his goal somewhat out of control thinking that he's going to have to make the save.
17:42Does not make the contact that he would want on Lautaro Martinez.
17:46He's late in the sliding challenge.
17:50Takes him down.
17:52Foul.
17:53And now the opportunity for Lionel Messi and for these fans to enjoy Lionel Messi scoring a goal.
18:01A middle of the two after coming on the pitch.
18:03He opens things up for Lautaro Martinez to win the penalty.
18:07And now Messi trying to take advantage against Iceland.
18:12Slotted home with conjuvent ease.
18:16Ironically just like he couldn't do against them at the World Cup in 2018.
18:20But this is goal number 117 for number 10.
18:34So he's on the field for a minute.
18:36Puts the ball in behind.
18:38And it is that contact.
18:40That leg out stretch from Olofsson on Lautaro Martinez.
18:46Lionel Messi is slow run up.
18:49Hoping and waiting that the goalkeeper is going to move.
18:51He doesn't.
18:52So then decides to go with a little bit more power.
18:56Olofsson full stretch can't quite get there.
18:59Good execution from Lionel Messi.
19:00Two nothing.
19:02Argentine.
19:08This is only the 10th time they've played South American opponents.
19:14Nice win.
19:15So they only have two wins.
19:18Man.
19:20Referee reaching for another card and another yellow.
19:25You don't even think this is a foul.
19:27To be honest with you.
19:30Dr. Martinez wins the ball.
19:35Wins the ball.
19:38If you cannot make this sort of challenge.
19:42And very clear.
19:44Adrian.
19:45I don't know.
19:46Maybe you see the tight uniform to refer he's got on.
19:49He's got to blow that whistle quick.
19:54I think the ball has been sent to.
19:58Pretty low for what constitutes a foul and what constitutes a yellow card apparently.
20:02So the card count rising in this friendly.
20:05He's got to play.
20:10It's careless.
20:11It's Oskerson has picked it up.
20:13And a chance.
20:13They're not going to quite break their way.
20:23Another yellow card coming out.
20:32Almada is the player at the end of the challenge this time.
20:38The argument that Rodrigo de Poli is trying to make to the Icelandic players is, look.
20:49Rodina.
20:51Honestly done and Enzo Fernandez as the beneficiary.
20:54Oh, and he's done really well to prove it through a couple of challenges.
20:58Messi on the prowl.
21:00Needs an outlet.
21:02One arriving.
21:16And Enzo with the giveaway.
21:19It's a gift.
21:28That's going to have only ever beaten two South American nations, Ali.
21:32You knew I was going to mention this, didn't you?
21:33They beat Bolivia 1-0.
21:36In the build-up to the 94 World Cup.
21:38Bolivia's only appearance as Messi threatens to break through.
21:42This time the whistle sounds.
21:46And it's also the small matter of a 1-0 win against Davino Tinto of Venezuela in 2022.
22:01Here's Messi with the free kick.
22:03Bending it in.
22:05Sliding in to meet it.
22:12Nice delivery for Cristian Romero to try and get on the end of.
22:17Pretty sure that Cristian Romero was in an outside position.
22:20In the game number 23.
22:23Kingur of Reykjavik.
22:27After a glorious career that took in the likes of Spurs, Everton and Swansea in the Premier League.
22:38Good looking free kick and, well, an open header, a wide open header for Gunnarsson.
22:49Almost too open.
22:54Good service from Sigurdsson.
22:57He just tries to do too much with the header.
23:01Gave him the full Viking treatment to this thing.
23:06The crowd getting what they came for.
23:09Just an appearance but a goal from Lionel Messi.
23:11Argentina just trying to ease their way through the final minutes of preparation here.
23:16Before the World Cup gets underway in earnest in a week's time.
23:20Here's Messi.
23:21Sliding it through again.
23:23Surely.
23:24And it is number three.
23:28Beautiful finish in the end from Almada.
23:32And it was so well worked as the Iceland defence just melted.
23:43You want to repeat that Adrian because he was cute.
23:48And they did melt.
23:49Now the option, initial option, was to find Lautaro Martinez.
23:55But Rodrigo De Paul says, you know, let me just give it to Lionel Messi.
23:58He'll figure it out.
23:59But Rodrigo De Paul, more importantly, he continued his movement.
24:01He continued his running behind.
24:03And Tiago Almada also then became a presence inside the 18-yard box.
24:07While Lautaro Martinez drifted towards the far post.
24:10Almada covers his pace in the middle.
24:12Good layoff from Rodrigo De Paul.
24:14Tapping from my kind of range.
24:16Arena.
24:17Argentina.
24:22Very hard indeed, wasn't it?
24:25But that is that.
24:27It is next stop Kansas City for Lionel Messi and company.
24:32Comfortable 3-0 win here against Iceland.
24:34The perfect preparation for a week's time.
24:37Algeria next is Lionel Scaloni.
24:40And his troops will begin the defence of their World Cup trophy.
24:45Won so thrillingly in Qatar four years ago.
24:49Ali.
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