Argentina to play Haiti in May friendly match

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April 27, 2018

Argentina will play a friendly match against Haiti in May.

A change of plans for Jorge SAMPAOLI’s Argentina National Team as they prepare for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. As we reported in the past, the team was set to play Nicaragua in a farewell match in Argentina. However, per a report from TyC Sports, they will now play Haiti instead of Nicaragua.

While everything was set for the team to play Nicaragua on May 29, however, due to the current crisis going on in the country, the Nicaraguan FA had to pull out. Instead, the farewell match for the team before they fly out to Barcelona to prepare for the World Cup will be Haiti.

In May of 2010, Argentina (lead by previous coach Diego MARADONA) played a friendly match against Haiti which resulted in a 4-0 win. This match is still set to be played at La Bombonera and is simply used as a game to say goodbye to the fans prior to the World Cup. In 2010, Argentina’s opponent was Canada while in 2014 it was Slovenia.

World Cup countdown: 50 days, Argentina moment number 48, Angel DI MARIA

By

Roy Nemer

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April 27, 2018

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Angel Di Maria Lionel Messi Argentina — Angel Di Maria and Lionel Messi celebrate a goal for Argentina during their group stage match vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina at the 2014 FIFA Word Cup.

As part of the 50 days, 50 Argentina World Cup moments, we will be counting down the top 50 Argentina moments at a World Cup using the daily number.

We are just 48 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup and in 48th place we have Angel DI MARIA’s 48th cap for Argentina which happened to be his country’s opening match at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a 2-1 win against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

One of the favorites of the tournament were up against one of the World Cup debutants. Alejandro SABELLA infamously opted to go for a 5-3-2 and despite getting an early own goal and a 1-0 lead, the team never looked fully comfortable. And then, Lionel MESSI happened. A fantastic give-and-go with Gonzalo HIGUAIN (who was substituted on at half time) meant the team had finally arrived to the World Cup.

Here was Argentina’s starting XI for that match:

1. Sergio ROMERO
2. Ezequiel GARAY
3. Hugo CAMPAGNARO
4. Pablo ZABALETA
7. Angel DI MARIA
10. Lionel MESSI
11. Maxi RODRIGUEZ
14. Javier MASCHERANO
16. Marcos ROJO
17. Federico FERNANDEZ
20. Sergio AGUERO

That goal flipped the switch for the team which would eventually make the final of the World Cup. Angel DI MARIA started to turn on the style, a rabona pass to Marcos ROJO to keep the ball into play, a fantastic little dribble going in between two Bosnia-Herzegovina players… The team looked sensational in that second half.

Ángel Di María: Argentina International Caps – Senior Level

#	Opponent	Competition	Date	Result
1	Paraguay	2010 World Cup Qualifiers	September 6, 2008	Final 1-1 Draw
2	Venezuela	2010 World Cup Qualifiers	March 28, 2009	Final 4-0 Argentina
3	Bolivia	2010 World Cup Qualifiers	April 1, 2009	Final 6-1 Argentina
4	Peru	2010 World Cup Qualifiers	October 10, 2009	Final 2-1 Argentina
5	Spain	Friendly	November 14, 2009	Final 2-1 Spain
–	Catalonia	Unofficial Friendly	December 22, 2009	Final 4-2 Catalonia
6	Germany	Friendly	March 3, 2010	Final 1-0 Argentina
7	Canada	Friendly	May 23, 2010	Final 5-0 Argentina
8	Nigeria	2010 FIFA World Cup	June 12, 2010	Final 1-0 Argentina
9	South Korea	2010 FIFA World Cup	June 17, 2010	Final 4-1 Argentina
10	Greece	2010 FIFA World Cup	June 22, 2010	Final 2-0 Argentina
11	Mexico	2010 FIFA World Cup	June 27, 2010	Final 3-1 Argentina
12	Germany	2010 FIFA World Cup	July 3, 2010	Final 4-0 Germany
13	Republic of Ireland	Friendly	August 11, 2010	Final 1-0 Argentina
14	Spain	Friendly	September 7, 2010	Final 4-1 Argentina
15	Japan	Friendly	October 8, 2010	Final 1-0 Japan
16	Brazil	Friendly	November 17, 2010	Final 1-0 Argentina
17	Portugal	Friendly	February 9, 2011	Final 2-1 Argentina
18	United States	Friendly	March 26, 2011	Final 1-1 Draw
19	Albania	Friendly	June 20, 2011	Final 4-0 Argentina
20	Bolivia	2011 Copa America	July 1, 2011	Final 1-1 Draw
21	Colombia	2011 Copa America	July 6, 2011	Final 0-0 Draw
22	Costa Rica	2011 Copa America	July 11, 2011	Final 3-0 Argentina
23	Uruguay	2011 Copa America	July 16, 2011	Final 1-1 (5-4 P) Uruguay
24	Venezuela	Friendly	September 2, 2011	Final 1-0 Argentina
25	Nigeria	Friendly	September 6, 2011	Final 3-1 Argentina
26	Chile	2014 World Cup Qualifiers	October 7, 2011	Final 4-1 Argentina
27	Venezuela	2014 World Cup Qualifiers	October 11, 2011	Final 1-0 Venezuela
28	Ecuador	2014 World Cup Qualifiers	June 2, 2012	Final 4-0 Argentina
29	Brazil	Friendly	June 9, 2012	Final 4-3 Argentina
30	Germany	Friendly	August 15, 2012	Final 3-1 Argentina
31	Paraguay	2014 World Cup Qualifiers	September 7, 2012	Final 3-1 Argentina
32	Peru	2014 World Cup Qualifiers	September 11, 2012	Final 1-1 Draw
33	Uruguay	2014 World Cup Qualifiers	October 12, 2012	Final 3-0 Argentina
34	Chile	2014 World Cup Qualifiers	October 16, 2012	Final 2-1 Argentina
35	Saudi Arabia	Friendly	November 14, 2012	Final 0-0 Draw
36	Sweden	Friendly	February 6, 2013	Final 3-2 Argentina
37	Bolivia	2014 World Cup Qualifiers	March 26, 2013	Final 1-1 Draw
38	Colombia	2014 World Cup Qualifiers	June 7, 2013	Final 0-0 Draw
39	Ecuador	2014 World Cup Qualifiers	June 11, 2013	Final 1-1 Draw
40	Italy	Friendly	August 14, 2013	Final 2-1 Argentina
41	Paraguay	2014 World Cup Qualifiers	September 10, 2013	Final 5-2 Argentina
42	Peru	2014 World Cup Qualifiers	October 11, 2013	Final 3-1 Argentina
43	Ecuador	Friendly	November 15, 2013	Final 0-0 Draw
44	Bosnia-Herzegovina	Friendly	November 18, 2013	Final 2-0 Argentina
45	Romania	Friendly	March 5, 2014	Final 0-0 Draw
46	Trinidad and Tobago	Friendly	June 4, 2014	Final 3-0 Argentina
47	Slovenia	Friendly	June 7, 2014	Final 2-0 Argentina
48	Bosnia-Herzegovina	2014 FIFA World Cup	June 15, 2014	Final 2-1 Argentina
49	Iran	2014 FIFA World Cup	June 21, 2014	Final 1-0 Argentina
50	Nigeria	2014 FIFA World Cup	June 25, 2014	Final 3-2 Argentina
51	Switzerland	2014 FIFA World Cup	July 1, 2014	Final 1-0 Argentina
52	Belgium	2014 FIFA World Cup	July 5, 2014	Final 1-0 Argentina
53	Germany	Friendly	September 3, 2014	Final 4-2 Argentina
54	Brazil	Friendly	October 11, 2014	Final 2-0 Brazil
55	Hong Kong	Friendly	October 14, 2014	Final 7-0 Argentina
56	Croatia	Friendly	November 12, 2014	Final 2-1 Argentina
57	Portugal	Friendly	November 18, 2014	Final 1-0 Portugal
58	El Salvador	Friendly	March 28, 2015	Final 2-0 Argentina
59	Ecuador	Friendly	March 31, 2015	Final 2-1 Argentina
60	Bolivia	Friendly	June 6, 2015	Final 5-0 Argentina
61	Paraguay	2015 Copa America	June 13, 2015	Final 2-2 Draw
62	Uruguay	2015 Copa America	June 16, 2015	Final 1-0 Argentina
63	Jamaica	2015 Copa America	June 20, 2015	Final 1-0 Argentina
64	Colombia	2015 Copa America	June 27, 2015	Final 0-0 (5-4 P) Arg
65	Paraguay	2015 Copa America	June 30, 2015	Final 6-1 Argentina
66	Chile	2015 Copa America	July 4, 2015	Final 0-0 (4-1 P) Chile
67	Ecuador	2018 World Cup Qualifiers	October 8, 2015	Final 2-0 Ecuador
68	Paraguay	2018 World Cup Qualifiers	October 13, 2015	Final 0-0 Draw
69	Brazil	2018 World Cup Qualifiers	November 13, 2015	Final 1-1 Draw
70	Colombia	2018 World Cup Qualifiers	November 17, 2015	Final 1-0 Argentina
71	Chile	2018 World Cup Qualifiers	March 24, 2016	Final 2-1 Argentina
72	Bolivia	2018 World Cup Qualifiers	March 29, 2016	Final 2-0 Argentina
73	Honduras	Friendly	May 27, 2016	Final 1-0 Argentina
74	Chile	2016 Copa America	June 6, 2016	Final 2-1 Argentina
75	Panama	2016 Copa America	June 10, 2016	Final 5-0 Argentina
76	Chile	2016 Copa America	June 26, 2016	Final 0-0 (4-2 P) Chile
77	Uruguay	2018 World Cup Qualifiers	September 1, 2016	Final 1-0 Argentina
78	Venezuela	2018 World Cup Qualifiers	September 6, 2016	Final 2-2 Draw
79	Peru	2018 World Cup Qualifiers	October 6, 2016	Final 2-2 Draw
80	Paraguay	2018 World Cup Qualifiers	October 11, 2016	Final 1-0 Paraguay
81	Brazil	2018 World Cup Qualifiers	November 10, 2016	Final 3-0 Brazil
82	Colombia	2018 World Cup Qualifiers	November 15, 2016	Final 3-0 Argentina
83	Chile	2018 World Cup Qualifiers	March 23, 2017	Final 1-0 Argentina
84	Bolivia	2018 World Cup Qualifiers	March 28, 2017	Final 2-0 Bolivia
85	Brazil	Friendly	June 9, 2017	Final 1-0 Argentina
86	Singapore	Friendly	June 13, 2017	Final 6-0 Argentina
87	Uruguay	2018 World Cup Qualifier	August 31, 2017	Final 0-0 Draw
88	Venezuela	2018 World Cup Qualifiers	September 5, 2017	Final 1-1 Draw
89	Peru	2018 World Cup Qualifiers	October 5, 2017	Final 0-0 Draw
90	Ecuador	2018 World Cup Qualifiers	October 10, 2017	Final 3-1 Argentina
91	Russia	Friendly	November 11, 2017	Final 1-0 Argentina
92	Nigeria	Friendly	November 14, 2017	Final 4-2 Nigeria
93	Italy	Friendly	March 23, 2018	Final 2-0 Argentina

If you missed it, here are our 50 World Cup moments:
50: Sergio ROMERO gets 50th cap vs. Switzerland at 2014 FIFA World Cup.
49: Roberto AYALA scores in the 49th minute vs. Germany at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Lucas BIGLIA on Argentina’s form: “Immediate results are impossible”

By

Roy Nemer

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April 26, 2018

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Lucas Biglia Argentina — Soccer Football - International Friendly - Italy vs Argentina - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - March 23, 2018 Argentina’s Lucas Biglia REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo

Argentina and AC Milan midfielder Lucas BIGLIA stated not to expect immediate results and that it takes patience and hard work to get results.

Speaking with TyC Sports, BIGLIA (who is presently sidelined due to an injury) commented on the constant changes which were happening to the Argentina National Team as well as the team without Lionel MESSI. Here’s what he had to say:

“Immediate results are impossible. We are a country that does not have patience, we want a coach to come in tomorrow and in three matches come out as champion. This will always be impossible. Without patience, we’ll never get anywhere.”

“Patience and hard work will give you results. We have had a lot of changes in a short amount of time. Ever since the end of the World Cup, we have changed coaches three times, we have played three different styles and in between have come and gone a lot of players. The coach now has to finish up the list and based off of that we will start working in another way.”

“To go and play a tournament of this magnitude you have to look at something else, not the present. You could have just come off a phenomenal season but after that at the World Cup, it’s something else.”

Lucas BIGLIA on Lionel MESSI:

“We all know that the one that changes the level of the National Team is MESSI and we want to help him feel more free and with less responsibilities. Lionel will be the one who will make his team mates win. When he’s not there, we are a good team or a normal team.”

Claudio CANIGGIA on 1990 World Cup final: “Had I played, we would have won”

By

Roy Nemer

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April 26, 2018

7

Claudio Caniggia Argentina — Claudio Caniggia scores for Argentina against Brazil at the 1990 FIFA World Cup.

A main figure in Argentina’s 1990 World Cup squad, Claudio CANIGGIA believes that had he played in the final against Germany, Argentina would have won the World Cup.

Suspended for the final after having received two yellow cards throughout the tournament, Claudio CANIGGIA has no doubt that the final would have ended different. Speaking with TyC Sports, a legendary figure of the Argentina National Team also gave his thoughts on Diego MARADONA as well as Lionel MESSI.

“I was so good and I felt so confident… I saw the Germans as being easier than the Italians or Brazilians. Bigots, slower… They would have brought me down and resulted in a penalty or someone would have kicked me. I’m sure that we would have defeated the Germans.”

Claudio also stated that MESSI and MARADONA “see things that no one else see” before stating that MARADONA “is the best player I have seen in history”. He also stated that “DI STEFANO, MARADONA and MESSI are the best in history.”

Speaking about his good friend Diego MARADONA:

“MARADONA is the only guy that could have been champion with Napoli; because of his personality, his leadership and because of how he was with his team mates. MARADONA is the most complete player I have ever seen.”

Claudio CANIGGIA on Lionel MESSI:

“MESSI is a phenomenon and very close to Diego, he’s great and he’s done some spectacular things. He’s very consistent. I don’t believe I’ve seen many players with his consistency.”

CANIGGIA scored two very important goals for Argentina, both coming in the knockout stages. The first was against Brazil in a 1-0 win after a magical run by Diego MARADONA. The second came in the semi-finals, reaching onto to a header to score against Italy.

Matias ALMEYDA wins CONCACAF Champions League with Guadalajara

By

Roy Nemer

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April 26, 2018

4

Matias Almeyda Guadalajara — Matias Almeyda celebrates winning the CONCACAF Champions League.

A big congratulations to Matias ALMEYDA on winning the CONCACAF Champions League with his club Guadalajara.

It was an absolute rollercoaster of a final. Using the same concept as CONMEBOL’s Copa Libertadores (a final played over two legs), ALMEYDA’s men won 3-3 (4-2) on penalty kicks over Toronto FC. Following a 2-1 win in Toronto on April 17, GUADALAJARA had the advantage going into the second leg. However, two goals by Toronto FC in the first half of the second leg erased any advantage the Mexican club had conjured up.

The match went to a penalty shootout and while Toronto FC scored two of their four shots, ALMEYA’s team went a perfect four out of four as they won the CONCACAF Champions League.

A big congratulations to Matias ALMEYDA on winning his fifth (and no doubt biggest) title as coach in Mexico.