Argentina vs Mexico
The doubleheader between Argentina and Mexico is set to come to a close at the Estadio Malvinas Argentina, and both teams will look to get an all-important win as they continue to gear up for their upcoming international competitions.
Argentina won the first game comfortably, so they will be brimming with confidence as they head to this affair. However, they know very well not to underestimate a wounded beast—particularly one with such a proud football history as Mexico.
This International Friendly Argentina vs Mexico match may not be the head-turner type that would excite football fans around the globe. But make no mistake, the passion for the game and hunger for victory will be overflowing.
Talking Points
No Messi, No Problem!
It’s safe to say Argentina are adjusting well to life without Lionel Messi.
The little magician—as he hinted before, during and after last summer’s World Cup—might have already played his last game for the Argentines, and La Albiceleste are already preparing for the future without the man who led them to the World Cup final four years ago.
Argentina have won three of their last five fixtures after the quadrennial affair, losing only once against a full-strength Brazil squad that boasted the likes of Neymar, Roberto Firmino, Gabriel Jesus and Philippe Coutinho.
They played out a goalless draw against Colombia in September, but they did win against the likes of Guatemala and Iraq (the latter to the tune of four goals to nothing).
The first of the doubleheader against El Tri also saw Argentina dominate and come out 2-0 winners. Ramiro Funes Mori’s 44th-minute strike and a late own goal from Isaac Brizuela gave the hosts the win, but the likes of Paulo Dybala, Giovani Lo Celso and Nicolas Tagliafico all threatened.
Consistency remains an issue for the team, but there’s no doubt they are off to a solid start in the post-Messi era.
What’s up with the Mexican defence?
The biggest problem for Mexico is their seemingly absent defence. El Tri have already lost four of their last five outings, and their horrendous backline is the culprit.
Mexico have conceded in all of their matches after the World Cup, averaging two goals allowed during that stretch.
While one can say that the inexperience of the team is the reason for the defensive miscues, it should be noted that their backline that features Luis Rodriguez, Diego Reyes and Nestor Araujo could be the same group that they will field in the 2019 Gold Cup.
Defence is something they can’t develop overnight, but Mexico interim manager Ricardo “Tuca” Ferretti needs to find a way to lessen the damage it causes. Besides, they showed some grit defensively against Argentina before it petered out late in the first half.
Final battle of the caretakers
Another storyline to watch in the game is the battle of the caretaker managers. Argentina’s Lionel Scaloni is only the interim manager, and while the national team players want him to take the job permanently, the 40-year-old said he doesn’t want to look too far ahead and has admitted his focus is on the Under-20 team.
Meanwhile, for Ferretti, this game will likely be his last as caretaker of the Mexican team. According to latest reports, Gerardo Martino is slated to take over the squad come 2019. With that said, Ferretti would undoubtedly like to produce a good performance at Mendoza for his successor to build on.
Mexico’s results haven’t been good under Ferretti, but fans and pundits alike know the manager’s focus is not getting wins but developing the national team’s youngsters.
It will be interesting to see how the two managers will line up their squads and what tactical adjustments will they make after the results of the first game. Moreover, the possibility that this match-up could be their last against their respective national teams should add drama to it.
History
The previous Argentina-vs-Mexico results have gone largely in favour of the South American side. Out of 33 meetings overall, the Argentines won 14 times and played out a draw on 14 other occasions. The Mexicans, meanwhile, won only five times against them.
Even more remarkable for Argentina (and ominous for Mexico), they haven’t lost against El Tri since their Copa America meeting in 2004. That means Argentina have been unbeaten versus the North American team in their eight fixtures in the past 13 years.
Mexico did hold Argentina to a 2-2 draw in a 2015 friendly, but that was the best result they could muster in their recent head-to-head encounters.
Here’s one often overlooked tidbit though: Argentina have scored at least two goals in their past six matches, with a 1-4 friendly victory in 2008 being the most noteworthy. Messi found the net in that game too!
Betting Tip
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Argentina vs Mexico | Argentina Correct Score 2-1 @ 7.20 |
| November 21, 08:00 (GMT+8) |
The Argentina-Mexico betting odds at SBOBET suggest a one-sided affair; however, I don’t think that will be the case.
Both teams and their managers surely learned a lot from their previous fight, so I expect them to make adjustments and deliver a more intense battle this time around.
I think Argentina will win, but I believe Mexico can score and make life a little difficult for the home team.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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 = €20 (Highly confident) |
= €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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