Argentina Dominates Guatemala 3-0 in 2018 Friendly Match

Argentina rolled past Guatemala 3-0 in a friendly at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Friday night. 

Even without mainstays Lionel Messi, Paulo Dybala, Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain, Argentina had no problem exploiting Guatemala's spotty defense as a group of rising talents anchored interim manager Lionel Scaloni's attack.      

Gonzalo Martinez opened the scoring on a penalty kick in the 27th minute, and the lead ballooned late in the first half as Giovani Lo Celso (35th minute) and Giovanni Simeone (44th minute) both found the back of the net. 

Argentina Flash Encouraging Signs Following World Cup Disappointment   

The last time we saw Argentina in action, they crashed out of the World Cup against France. 

Since then, the Argentine Football Association has removed Jorge Sampaoli from his post on the bench and temporarily replaced him with Scaloni. 

So far, that decision is paying dividends. 

Although Guatemala isn't an appropriate measuring stick for a club of Argentina's caliber, the South American dynamos looked sharp in their return to the pitch. 

To wit: Argentina logged a 17-5 advantage in total shots and controlled 61 percent of the possession.

And even when Guatemala had attacking chances, they proved fleeting against a stout Argentina back line. 

Of course, Friday's result won't erase memories of this summer's disappointments. But for the time being, it was a promising start that helped showcase the talents of players who represent the future.

Guatemala Reminded Road Back from Ban Won't Be Easy

All things considered, August was a highlight for the Guatemalans. 

La Azul y Blanco returned from a two-year FIFA ban for a pair of matches against Cuba, and they emerged victorious in both by an aggregate score of 4-0. 

However, Friday was a stern reminder that while those results were encouraging on a micro level, they didn't reflect the team's ability to hang with superior competition.  

Guatemala appeared to be overwhelmed for much of the match, and it didn't stand a chance of containing an Argentine side that made a concerted effort to push forward and work the ball through midfielders Lo Celso, Leandro Paredes and Exequiel Palacios in order to open up goalscoring opportunities for Gonzalo Martinez and Cristian Pavon. 

Guatemala's defense was overwhelmed by those attacking combinations, and the result was a blowout. 

On the bright side, Guatemala's next showdown will be against an Ecuador squad that hasn't recorded a win on the international stage since November 2016. 

Expect that tilt to be far more competitive. 

What's Next? 

Both sides will return to the pitch Tuesday evening. Argentina is slated for a showdown with Colombia at MetLife Stadium, while Guatemala will clash with Ecuador at Toyota Park.