This article contains adult content that may be inappropriate for minors. Please confirm that you are 18 years or older to continue. This article contains images or details that some readers may find disturbing. Reader discretion is advised. Argentina had a very unconvincing performance just over two months before the World Cup, following a narrow 2-1 victory over the modest Mauritania national team, in a Bombonera stadium that was not even full. The performance of the world champion team was concerning, and the result, by the narrow margin, fell far short of expectations. The self-criticism within the team was the most positive aspect of the night. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez did not hold back in his words to describe the team's performance. "Thank God we didn't play the Finalissima [against Spain]. If we had played like this, we would have lost…" he stated, adding that there was a lack of intensity and heart. "When we wear the national team jersey, we have to give more. We need more heart. We lacked intensity," he emphasized. When questioned about the criticism from the Spanish press regarding the lack of strong opponents in friendly matches, Dibu responded: "In the last World Cup, it was the same. It's game by game. We have the experience to go far, they don't." Coach Lionel Scaloni shared the same opinion, admitting that the conclusions from the match were not positive. "The team was not good at any moment," declared the coach, who chose to leave Messi on the bench at the start of the match, betting on Nico Paz and Thiago Almada. Despite a first half in which Argentina controlled the game, the team showed little depth. The goals came from a long-range shot by Enzo Fernández and a direct free kick by Nico Paz, who scored for the first time for the senior national team. However, the team's performance dropped drastically after the break. Messi, along with Rodrigo De Paul and Franco Mastantuono, came on in the second half, but none of the three managed to impact the game. Argentina became disorganized against an opponent ranked 133rd in the FIFA rankings. Mauritania took advantage of the drop in performance to create difficulties, forcing Emiliano Martínez to make three crucial saves to maintain the lead. The equalizing goal from the Africans, scored by Jordan Lefort in the 94th minute, served as a final warning on a night to forget. Next up is the match against Zambia on Tuesday, where Argentina will need to present a completely different image to bid farewell to their fans in a better way, following a victory that felt like very little.
Alarms Sound Play the Finalissima remains central to this story.
Alarms Sound Play the Finalissima remains central to this story.
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