Argentina’s second friendly of the FIFA window went ahead in Buenos Aires after Burkina Faso’s late arrival had put the fixture in doubt, leaving the visiting Under-23 group with little time to recover from a journey of more than 10 hours.
Key takeaways
- Burkina Faso’s delegation landed at 15:43 after a lengthy trip to Argentina.
- The African side travelled with a predominantly Under-23 squad and only one senior international, Cheick Bebel Doumbia.
- Travel disruption on Friday had threatened the staging of the match.
- Argentina wore their alternate kit for the friendly.
- Nico Paz had made a decisive impact in Argentina’s previous post-World Cup outing, scoring once and setting up another goal.
A difficult arrival for Burkina Faso
The visitors reached Buenos Aires with only a narrow window before the game, following more than 10 hours of travel and a significant time difference. Those circumstances were expected to make the task especially demanding for the young Burkina Faso players selected for the trip.
Problems surrounding the African team’s travel arrangements had already placed the fixture at risk on Friday. Burkina Faso ultimately arrived in time for the match, but without many of the established names from their senior national setup.
Cheick Bebel Doumbia was the sole player from Burkina Faso’s full senior national team included in the delegation. The absence of several key figures left an inexperienced travelling party facing Argentina away from home.
Argentina continue their post-World Cup schedule
The meeting formed Argentina’s second friendly during the international break. The world champions took to the field in their second strip as they continued their programme after the World Cup.
Nico Paz had been the standout performer in Argentina’s first match since the tournament. The Como player supplied both a goal and an assist, underlining his influence as the national side began its next cycle.
