World Cup warm up: Argentina set to play it safe against giant killers Iceland
Playing it safe isn’t a phrase that you would associate with Argentina boss Jorge Sampaoli too often but the former Chile boss seems set to name an experienced line-up for their World Cup opener with Iceland on Saturday.
From the Marcelo Bielsa school of experimental formations and daring attacking football, Sampaoli seems likely to show tournament debutants Iceland the respect that they earned in France two years ago.
Indeed, the average age of the South Americans’ likely starting XI is almost thirty, with Lucas Biglia and Javier Mascherano set to start in the middle ground, while youngsters Giovani Lo Celso and winger Cristian Pavon are set to be overlooked.
With just one pre-tournament friendly, coming against minnows Haiti, Sampaoli has certainly not perfected his favoured system and properly imposed his style on a side that will need to break down a stubborn Icelandic resolve.
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The Nordic side are very settled into their system after all, and there are only two new faces in their likely starting XI from the Euros in France. Both come at the back in the form of Hordur Magnusson and Sverrir Ingason, who bring some much needed freshness to what was an ageing defence.
In Alfred Finnbogason they have a striker that enjoyed a strong season in the Bundesliga last time out, with 12 goals in 22 games for Augsburg, and Gyfli Sigurdsson is back available after three months out through injury.
Just how match fit the Everton man is will be key to the underdogs this weekend, and indeed throughout the tournament, but first and foremost Iceland will aim to frustrate their opposition, all the while knowing that finding a way through Argentina's defence is far from impossible.
Martin Laurence - Argentina 2-1 Iceland Ben McAleer - Argentina 3-1 Iceland Josh Wright - Argentina 2-1 Iceland
