Messi-less Argentina kick off World Cup preparations with win over Honduras

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/argentina/f9OppQjp/"]Argentina[/a] had the first chance of the game on seven minutes when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/simeone-giuliano/IJTJu41i/"]Giuliano Simeone[/a] forced a full-stretch save from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/menjivar-edrick/Sl0xFpd8/"]Edrick Menjivar[/a] before the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atl-madrid/jaarqpLQ/"]Atletico Madrid[/a] man turned provider moments later, picking out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/martinez-lautaro/QHk1CXUh/"]Lautaro Martinez[/a] whose diving header was held.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/honduras/fP8cJrsS/"]Honduras[/a] then had a mini purple patch where they had Argentina on the back foot and that culminated in a chance for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rodriguez-edwin/488OaXRr/"]Edwin Rodriguez[/a], but he couldn’t keep his rasping effort down.[/p][embed guid="af7afa1e-bd37-436f-9b13-030bb6c435d7" url="https://x.com/AFASeleccionEN/status/2063426260580045244" social-type="twitter" /][p]The game fell into a lull midway through the first half, but it sprang to life again with ten minutes until the break. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lo-celso-giovani/UZeyLfKI/"]Giovani Lo Celso[/a]’s curling effort came crashing back off the bar and, as they challenged for the loose ball, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wood-chris/Cp7L7Gro/"]Christopher Melendez[/a] collided with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tagliafico-nicolas/jgaGiVOl/"]Nicolas Tagliafico[/a], and a spot kick was duly awarded. [/p][p][b]Up stepped Martinez and the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter/Iw7eKK25/"]Inter Milan[/a] forward duly dispatched the penalty low into the corner. [/b]That gave [i]La Albiceleste[/i] a lead that they almost doubled on the stroke of half-time, only for Menjivar to react well to keep out Simeone’s clever back-heel from Lo Celso’s cutback.[/p][image alt="Match Stats" id="1a93676a-20c9-46e8-9125-d796770e30be" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="0c4eaff3-e3b1-4e3b-9c48-8ce545092eb9" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]Lionel Scalioni’s men were quick out of the traps after the restart and got the goal their dominance deserved nine minutes in.[/p][p][b]Martinez was involved once again as he got on the end of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/almada-thiago/CSKGShgi/"]Thiago Almada[/a]’s through ball and silkily back-heeled into the path of Simeone, who finished well.[/b][/p][p]Honduras were defending desperately, and only a goal-line clearance from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maldonado-denil/Yif4tOOo/"]Denil Maldonado[/a] kept half-time sub [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/medina-facundo/tEuOUQT3/"]Facundo Medina[/a]’s header out.[/p][embed guid="dd4c0612-092b-4b78-882b-07fd69fc57bf" url="https://x.com/AFASeleccionEN/status/2063449938680324268" social-type="twitter" /][p]With both managers making a slew of changes as the game progressed, momentum was lost, and the game petered out somewhat. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/aranda-tomas/AmuPcgC4/"]Tomas Aranda[/a] forced a good save late on from replacement goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ortiz-hernandez-luis-enrique/noSYjYI1/"]Luis Ortiz[/a] before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/romero-cristian/jBZTWXMn/"]Cristian Romero[/a] headed the resulting corner over.[/p][p]However, the reigning WC and Copa America champions saw out the victory, and they will face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/iceland/6TsAIrGN/"]Iceland[/a] on Tuesday in a final tune-up before the real thing gets going ten days from now against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/algeria/nc87N1BR/"]Algeria[/a].  [/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/simeone-giuliano/IJTJu41i/"]Giuliano Simeone[/a] (Argentina)[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/argentina-f9OppQjp/honduras-fP8cJrsS/?mid=QgmZkEjC"]Click here for more on the match[/a][/b][/p]