World champions Argentina face Australia in an international friendly at the Workers’ Stadium in Beijing on Thursday.
Argentina and Australia will meet each other for the first time since their thrilling contest in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Lionel Messi led La Albiceleste to a 2-1 victory over the Socceroos in the Round of 16 at the showpiece tournament in Qatar, giving them the momentum to go all the way in Qatar and secure World Cup glory.
The honeymoon period for Argentina continues as they are looking to extend their eight-game winning streak after winning two friendly matches in their last international break. La Albiceleste toasted their World Cup success on home turf in back-to-back friendlies over Panama and Curacao in March, scoring nine goals without a reply across both games.
After defeating Panama 2-0 in Buenos Aires, Argentina thrashed Curacao 7-0 in Santiago del Estero, with superstar Lionel Messi scoring four goals in the two games to break landmarks. La Pulga scored his 800th career goal with a wonderful free-kick against Panama before netting a 17-minute hat-trick over Curacaro, with the opener moving him onto 100 international goals for his country. After battling Australia, Argentina will take on Indonesia to round off this summer international break.
The Socceroos, meanwhile, are seeking revenge against the nation that knocked them out at the Last 16 stage. Australia actually surprised many by advancing through their World Cup group featuring France, pipping both Denmark and Tunisia despite being the underdogs. However, they could not overcome South American powerhouse Argentina in the Round of 16, despite mounting late pressure.
Graham Arnold’s side endured mixed results in back-to-back friendly fixtures against Ecuador, with a 3-1 victory in Sydney followed by a 2-1 defeat just four days later in Melbourne in late March.
Australia, ranked 29th in the world, have just one friendly match this month against Argentina before playing their final game of 2023 against England at Wembley in October ahead of the next FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying cycle and the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 in January next year.
Team News & Tactics
Argentina
Lionel Messi says that he won't play in the next World Cup in 2026 🥺 pic.twitter.com/VUfzIBfs0J
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 13, 2023
Argentina will be without the services of injured centre-back Lisandro Martinez, while Juan Foyth, Papu Gomez, Angel Correa, Paulo Dybala, and Lautaro Martinez have all been left out of Lionel Scaloni’s 27-man squad, which includes 19 world champions. Expect Lionel Scaloni to give a chance to a lot of untested players from his 23-man squad.
Leonardo Balerdi and Facundo Medina have been named in the squad for this match, but they are unlikely to start ahead of Nicolas Otamendi and Cristian Romero as a central defensive pairing in front of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. Nicolas Tagliafico and Nahuel Molina will be the designated full-backs.
Up ahead in midfield, Real Betis’s Guido Rodriguez could feature in the holding role alongside Bayer Leverkusen’s Exequiel Palacios, with Giovani Lo Celso serving as the energetic creative force sitting slightly ahead of the double pivot.
Lionel Messi, who shocked the football world by moving to the MLS recently and announcing that he would not play in the next World Cup, will once again be the star man of Argentina’s attack against Australia. Scaloni could also unleash Manchester United sensation Alejandro Garnacho from the get-go here, with Giovanni Simeone leading the line in the absence of Martinez.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Emiliano Martinez; Tagliafico, Otamendi, Romero, Molina; Lo Celso, Rodriguez, Palacios; Messi, Simeone, Garnacho
Australia
Graham Arnold has named a youthful but equally exciting squad for the international friendly, with several experienced members ruled out through injury. Alessandro Circati and Thomas Glover have received their first senior call-ups, while Gianni Stensness and Denis Genreau have returned to the fold.
Craig Goodwin, Aaron Mooy, Jackson Irvine, Jason Cummings, Milos Degenek, and Aziz Behich are all injured and did not make the roster. While a less-experienced Australian side is expected to take to the field, there is no shortage of experience between the sticks, with AZ Alkmaar veteran Mathew Ryan manning the goal for the Socceroos.
Our squad is in for our rematch with Argentina! 💪
📰 Read more: https://t.co/x47Zsp82C9
🇦🇷 v 🇦🇺: 15.6.23, 10pm AEST#Socceroos #ARGvAUS pic.twitter.com/bzsY0ol74n
— Subway Socceroos (@Socceroos) June 6, 2023
Leicester City centre-back Harry Souttar and Hearts’ Kye Rowles will form the central defensive partnership, flanked by full-backs Nathaniel Atkinson and Joel King.
FC St. Pauli midfielder Connor Metcalfe will be the deepest midfielder for Australia. The 23-year-old will look to hold his own in the middle of the park. Riley McGree and Ajdin Hrustic will provide defensive support to Metcalfe while also looking to drive Australia forward in the final third on occasions.
A-League wingers Mathew Leckie and Brandon Borrello will be tasked with stretching the Argentine backline. Meanwhile, A-League top-scorer Jamie Maclaren, who scored 24 goals for Melbourne City FC this past season, will lead the line for his country.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Ryan; Atkinson, Souttar, Rowles, King; McGree, Metcalfe, Hrustic; Borrello, Maclaren, Leckie
Key Stats
- Argentina have lost only one of their last 45 men’s internationals (W34 D10, including penalty shootouts) – a 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
- Argentina are undefeated in their last seven internationals against Australia (W6 D1).
- La Albiceleste are unbeaten in their last eight international games and hammered Curacao 7-0 last time out.
- Australia last played in China in 2008 when they drew 0-0 with the hosts in a World Cup qualifier in southwestern Yunnan province.
Player to Watch
Alejandro Garnacho
The 18-year-old has been called into the Argentina senior setup and is in line to make his senior debut for the world champions during this month’s round of internationals. Manchester United fans will be interested to see how he performs on his senior international debut.
Garnacho has enjoyed a breakout season at Manchester United, announcing himself as one of the brightest talents in Europe. His pace, dribbling, and direct running from the left wing could be an X-factor on Thursday.
Prediction
Argentina 3-0 Australia
Argentina boast much more quality and strength in depth than Australia ahead of the showdown in China. Couple that fact with the lack of international experience within Australia’s youthful squad, and the reigning world champions will be considered heavy favourites to make light work of the Socceroos on Thursday. And we anticipate the Argentine frontline running riot in the attacking third.
