Argentina comfortably won their first friendly of the year against El Salvador, who are now 21 matches without a win.
The absence of captain Lionel Messi did not slow down Argentina on Friday as the world champions prepared to defend their Copa America title with a 3-0 friendly victory over El Salvador in Philadelphia.
Defender Cristian Romero opened the scoring in the 16th minute with Enzo Fernández in the 42nd and Giovani Lo Celso in the 52nd completing the victory at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles.
Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner who now plays for Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami, was ruled out of Friday’s match and Argentina’s friendly against Costa Rica in Los Angeles next week after injuring his hamstring during Miami’s 3-1 win over Nashville in the CONCACAF Champions Cup this month.
On a cold night in Philadelphia, Argentina didn’t need him to comfortably win their first friendly of the year against a team that has now gone 21 matches without a win.
Romero was the first to break through against the team coached by Spaniard David Doniga, rising to head home a corner taken by Angel Di Maria.
Minutes before half-time, Di Maria received the ball on the right flank and set up Rodrigo de Paul, whose back pass was headed by Lo Celso to Fernandez who headed home in front of goal.
After the break. it was Lo Celso’s turn who finished off another brilliant connection between Di Maria and Lautaro Martinez with a left-footed shot.
The match saw Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni take the opportunity to give minutes to youngsters Alejandro Garnacho and Valentin Barco – the 19-year-old left-back signed by Brighton in January who stood out for the U-23 team during qualifying for the Paris Olympic Games. .
