Head coach Lionel Scaloni is studying Bolivia's defeat to Paraguay as Argentina prepare for Wednesday's friendly. La Albiceleste, who top their World Cup qualifying group with 9 points from three wins, host an opponent arriving with questions after a 2-0 loss in the United States.
Miguel Almirón scored both goals for Paraguay. The first came in the 17th minute following a combination play involving a long pass from Diego Gómez and a headed knockdown from Robert Morales. The second goal arrived after an assist from Julio Enciso. Bolivia had a clear chance to pull one back in the 74th minute when José Canale fouled Miguel Terceros in the box. Terceros took the resulting penalty, but his weak shot was saved by Paraguayan goalkeeper Oliveira.
The friendly between Argentina and Bolivia will be played on Wednesday, September 30 at 20:00 at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Córdoba. This match is the first in a triple-header of preparation games, continuing against Burkina Faso on October 3 at the Monumental and culminating on October 6 with Lionel Messi's definitive farewell. Messi is the team's top scorer this cycle with 8 goals in 8 appearances. The last meeting between the sides, in October 2024, ended in a 6-0 win for Argentina.
Scaloni and his staff will note the weaknesses shown by Bolivia, particularly in finishing. The team coached by Gustavo Alfaro demonstrated greater offensive efficiency. Argentina, on a run of four wins from their last five matches, will look to fine-tune details. Fans can check the full national team schedule on our fixtures page and the World Cup standings on standings. Wednesday's match will serve as a final test before Messi's emotional farewell game.
The original report is at Clarin Deportes
