Argentina faced Mauritania in a friendly match this Friday at La Bombonera, emerging victorious with a score of 2-1. Enzo Fernández opened the scoring for Argentina in the 16th minute, showcasing stunning skill on the ball. Nicolás Paz doubled the lead with a brilliant free-kick in the 31st minute. However, Mauritania managed to pull one back in stoppage time, with Jordan Lefort scoring in the 48th minute of the second half.
Nicolás Paz was undoubtedly the standout performer of the match, contributing significantly with his goal, 40 key passes, and three successful tackles, along with two attempts on goal. Enzo Fernández also shone in midfield, netting a goal of his own and completing 40 accurate passes.
Head coach Lionel Scaloni opted for a 4-4-2 formation, fielding Emiliano Martínez in goal; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Marcos Senesi, and Marcos Acuña in defense; and Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, Nicolás Paz, and Nicolás González in the midfield, with Thiago Almada and Julián Álvarez leading the attack.
Meanwhile, Mauritania, managed by Aritz López Garai, set up in a 4-3-3 formation with Mamadou Diop in the goal; Ibrahima Keita, Lamine Ba, Jordan Lefort, and Aly Abeid in the backline; Oumar Ngom, Maata Magassa, and Beyatt Lekoueiry in midfield; and Djeidi Gassama, Aboubakary Koita, and Mamadou Diallo in front.
The match officiated by Derlis López López saw key substitutions from both teams. For Argentina, Enzo Fernández was replaced by Giuliano Simeone at the 55th minute, followed by Marcos Acuña’s substitution for Gabriel Rojas at the 67th minute. Nahuel Molina was taken off for Agustín Giay just a minute later. In the 74th minute, both Thiago Almada and Alexis Mac Allister were substituted in place of José Manuel López and Exequiel Palacios respectively.
In terms of cautions, Marcos Senesi received a yellow card for unsporting behavior in the 15th minute of the second half, while Mauritania’s Lamine Ba was cautioned in the 37th minute of the first half.
The match served as a crucial preparation for Argentina as they look to build momentum ahead of their upcoming competitive fixtures.