Argentina plays its first match since the March international break against Honduras in a friendly on Saturday, the defending world champions eager to step up preparations for the upcoming World Cup.
The first of two warm-up friendlies will be staged in Texas as La Albiceleste looks to extend its five-match winning streak. March brought victories over Mauritania and Zambia, with Argentina once again deciding not to test itself against elite opposition during pre-tournament preparations this month.
Honduras, currently ranked 66th in the world, will not be participating in this summer’s event, failing to qualify behind the likes of Curaçao and Haiti. La Bicolor is unlikely to cause too many issues for Argentina.
With their World Cup campaign beginning against Algeria on June 16, Lionel Scaloni will be keen for his side to avoid any humiliating slip-ups before the competition commences.
Argentina vs. Honduras Score Prediction
Argentina Eases to Victory
Realistically, this should prove a walkover for Argentina. The world champions have an abundance of quality across their squad, meaning even a second-string side would likely dispatch of Honduras with relatively little fuss.
Narrow wins over Mauritania and Angola in recent international breaks show Argentina isn’t always capable of blowing lower-level opposition away, but there have been high-scoring triumphs over Zambia and Puerto Rico since the beginning of last October.
Honduras, with just one win across its last five games, will be fearing the worst.
- Argentina’s goalscoring threats : Lionel Messi could miss the clash with Honduras as a precaution, but Argentina’s attacking riches travel far beyond the Inter Miami star. Julián Álvarez, Lautaro Martínez, Giuliano Simeone and Nico Paz are all expected to feature in some capacity, and should cause major problems.
- Blunt Honduras : Argentina will expect a clean sheet on Saturday. Honduras has failed to score in four of its last seven matches and lacks the offensive firepower to unlock Scaloni’s watertight defense.
- Major motivation : Argentina’s peripheral figures will be desperate to impress their manager before the opening World Cup fixture, eager to wrestle their way into his plans for his first starting XI.
Prediction: Argentina 3–0 Honduras
Argentina Predicted Lineup vs. Honduras
Scaloni might name his XI without Messi at his disposal, the veteran having only just returned to full team training following a muscle injury.
“He may be part of the friendly matches, getting some minutes in these two friendlies,’ Scaloni revealed on Friday. “We’ll see if it’s the one tomorrow [vs. Honduras] or the next one.”
Right back Gonzalo Montiel and goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez are also unlikely to be selected as they battle fitness issues. Gerónimo Rulli could replace the latter between the posts.
Despite missing the end of the campaign with Tottenham Hotspur, Cristian Romero is available once again and could feature in some capacity at Kyle Field.
Scaloni might start with a pretty much full-strength XI, although mass changes are expected during the game.
Argentina predicted lineup vs. Honduras (4-4-2): Rulli; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico; Simeone, De Paul, Mac Allister, Fernández; Martínez, Álvarez.
Honduras Predicted Lineup vs. Argentina
José Francisco Molina’s defense looks a little different without Andy Najar and Marcelo Santos, both of whom retired from international soccer last November.
Mike Arana, Leandro Padilla, Leonardo Posadas, Deiby Flores and Julián Martínez have all been omitted from the squad after being included in March’s draw with Peru.
Edwin Rodríguez leads a relatively inexperienced Honduras team, the midfielder’s 46 caps more than any of his compatriots in June’s roster.
What Time Does Argentina vs. Honduras Kick Off?
- Location : College Station, United States
- Stadium : Kyle Field
- Date : Saturday, June 6 / Sunday June 7
- Kick-off Time : 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT / 1 a.m. BST (June 7)
How to Watch Argentina vs. Honduras on TV, Live Stream
| Country | TV Channel/Live Stream |
|---|---|
| United States | ESPN Deportes, ESPN App, fuboTV |
| United Kingdom | N/A |
| Canada | N/A |
| Mexico | N/A |
