The Argentina team added a new victory in its preparation for the 2026 World Cup by beating Honduras 2-0 this Saturday in a friendly played in Texas. The team led by Lionel Scaloni resolved the match thanks to goals from Lautaro Martínez and Giuliano Simeone, in a performance that allowed them to continue adjusting pieces in order to defend the world title.

The Albiceleste faced the match without Lionel Messi, who did not participate as a precaution. Even so, the South American team maintained control of the game for most of the night, dominating possession and exerting constant pressure on an opponent that relied on tactical discipline and collective effort to contain the Argentine attacks.

From the first minutes, Argentina took the initiative through rapid circulation of the ball and an offensive proposal that forced Honduras to retreat. The Central American team tried to maintain defensive order while seeking to surprise through quick transitions led by Luis Palma and Jorge Benguché.

The Honduran resistance was supported by the interventions of goalkeeper Edrick Menjívar and a defense made up of Denil Maldonado and debutant Giancarlo Sacaza. During several passages of the first half they managed to contain the Argentine advances, although the territorial dominance of the world champions grew progressively.

The reward for Argentina came at 37 minutes. Lautaro Martínez, Inter Milan forward, converted a penalty and opened the scoring, sparking celebration among the fans present on American soil.

Scaloni tests variants before the last test

After the break, the development of the match hardly changed. Argentina continued to manage the timing of the game and quickly found the second goal that ended up tipping the balance in their favor.

The score came in the 54th minute through an offensive combination starring Lautaro Martínez and Giuliano Simeone. The young attacker completed the play with a shot from his right foot after a backheel assist from his teammate, thus signing the final 2-0.

With a comfortable lead on the scoreboard, the Argentine coaching staff took advantage of the second half to distribute minutes among several players seeking to consolidate their place within the World Cup squad. The objective was to evaluate alternatives and observe different tactical variants before the start of the tournament.

On the Honduran side, coach José Francisco Molina also used the final stretch to make adjustments. Among the moves made were the additions of midfielder David Ruiz and winger Rigoberto Rivas, who had the opportunity to add filming in a highly demanding match.

The match left Argentina with good feelings a week before the start of the World Cup. The current champion still has one more test on her calendar before the official debut.

On June 9, the Albiceleste will face Iceland at the Jordan-Hare stadium in Alabama, a commitment that will represent the last test for Scaloni's team before beginning the defense of the title won in the previous edition of the tournament.