Argentina’s one-to-one against Costa Rica: the validity of Di María and the fixed one of Lo Celso, the national team’s strong point

THE Argentina national team closed the FIFA friendlies in the United States with a new victory. He beat 3-1 Costa Rica at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles with a beautiful goal from a free kick by Angelo Di Maria and so many Alexis MacAllister AND Lautaro Martinez, all in the second half.

Far from last Friday’s crushing victory against El Salvador in Philadelphia, in this case the world champions had to work to beat the tenacious Argentine team Gustavo Alfaro, who proposed a strong defensive approach, staying in their own half and waiting for a counterattack. And that’s how Tico’s team took the lead and won at halftime.

Argentina couldn’t penetrate that rocky defensive structure, but they would have succeeded in the second half. First Di María scored the equalizer with a Messi-style goal and then, when the spaces began to appear, Mac Allister and Lautaro put in the definitive numbers.

Scaloni tested Walter Benítez in goal, fielded many purely offensive players and gave minutes to Valentín Carboni. Tests for the Copa América continue.

Then, the news Clarion after the victory in Los Angeles.

Walter Benitez (5):

His response was lukewarm in the action of the first goal of the match: he left a long rebound before Álvaro Zamora’s shot with the bad luck that the ball fell to Manfred Ugalde, scorer of the 1-0. First he had saved Julio Cascante’s header with a good save. He had no major accidents.

Nahuel Molina (7):

It was one of the best nights in Los Angeles. He went from lowest to highest. He constantly went into attack on the right, where the Argentine team changed their game, becoming another attacker. He showed his usual intensity towards the press and offered himself as an alternative pass for Ángel Di María.

Cristian Romero (6):

The defensive support of the team. Solid as always, Cuti did not suffer and gave new proof of being one of the dominant voices of Scaloneta. He was not responsible for the goal.

Nicolas Otamendi (5):

He could have opened the scoring in the first half, when he won a header in the opponent’s area after a free kick taken by Di María from the left, but he lacked direction in that shot. Shortly afterwards he represented himself in the action of the first goal: Ugalde, the scorer of that goal, escaped him in the middle of the field, then ran from behind and, once inside the area, fell to the ground, but was unable to to do it. avoid conquest.

Nicolas Tagliafico (5):

The match passed little by the feet of the Olympique de Lyon player, limited almost exclusively to his defensive work. Without any great saves or saves, he fulfilled himself in that aspect, but he couldn’t get involved offensively.

Alexis Mac Allister (6):

He didn’t play his best game. He was imprecise in his passes, especially in the first half, but in the end he was decisive for the victory with the 2-1 goal. He found a ball that was comfortable for him to head inside the six-yard box and with the goal at his mercy. A few minutes later he was replaced.

Giovani Lo Celso (7):

He was the most advanced of the three midfielders and gave dynamism to the midfield. He was precise in his passes and often entered the area. It is a fixed event for the Copa América.

Enzo Fernandez (7):

In a flat first half for Scaloneta, the Chelsea midfielder was the clearest of all in finding space in a rocky structure in Costa Rica. He left Julián Álvarez and then Garnacho in one-on-ones in the first half, while in the second half he was inches away from scoring his goal.

Angelo Di Maria (8):

Captain of the Argentine national team, he left a signature left-footed shot for his great goal from a free kick. Angelito made sure that the Argentine fans did not miss Leo Messi, who was absent due to injury. He was unbalanced, both to the right and when he went to the center, and with that exquisite execution he earned this place the figure of the party. Furthermore, he participated in the other two goals of the Albiceleste.

Alessandro Garnacho (6):

He was mobile on the left and showed a lot of desire, diving into the center to receive when the ball didn’t reach him, but he couldn’t gravitate like in his last few games at Manchester United. He showed flashes of his talent, but he lacked consistency in his game.

Julian Álvarez (5):

He pressed and annoyed rival defenders as he usually does, but was unable to find scoring situations to take advantage of the fact that he was playing as a ‘9’ and convert. The team’s performance in the first half didn’t help him either.

Leandro Paredes (6):

He came on in the second half and gave balance to the Argentine team, who in the first half had played with three midfielders who tend to focus more on attack. He fulfilled his function. He was supposed to be the starter, but in the end he started on the substitutes’ bench.

Lautaro Martinez (6):

Eventually the mufa came off. He replaced Garnacho in the complement and with one of the first balls touched he made it 3-1. He didn’t do much else, but it was enough for him. He thus ends a year and a half streak without scoring goals with the Argentine national team.

Rodrigo De Paul (6):

He assisted Lautaro on the final goal and brought the usual intensity to midfield. He almost scored the own goal, but Navas also saved.