Argentina are set to wrap up their preparations for the upcoming World Cup with a friendly against Iceland and this clash offers a great chance to see how the champions are shaping up ahead of the big tournament. Defending the title is never easy and the last team to win back to back World Cups was Brazil way back in 1958 and 1962 so the pressure is on the South Americans to deliver once again. The opponents might not be the toughest but these games are all about building rhythm and testing new combinations before the real action begins.
Team Form
Argentina head into this match on the back of five straight wins in friendlies where their attack has been on fire scoring a total of sixteen goals. They have been dominant across all competitions lately and look sharp with every player contributing to the flow. On the other side Iceland have struggled badly with just one victory in their last nine outings and a recent loss to Japan has added to their woes during this poor run of three defeats and two draws.
- Argentina: Five wins in a row with a goal difference of 16 to 1
- Iceland: Only one win in nine matches and five games without a victory
- Key stat: Argentina hammered Puerto Rico 6-0 in their last friendly outing
Tactical Analysis
The tactical battle should see Argentina control the tempo with their experienced midfielders dictating play and creating chances for the forwards to exploit spaces. Iceland tend to sit deep and rely on counter attacks but their weakened squad after years of changes makes it hard for them to trouble a well organized defense. Expect the home side to press high and use width to stretch the visitors while focusing on set pieces where their height and accuracy could prove decisive in breaking down a stubborn backline.
Strengths for Argentina include their clinical finishing and solid team chemistry built over recent months while Iceland will look to their defensive resilience and hope for moments of individual brilliance to nick something. Weaknesses on the visitors side are clear with limited creativity up front and a leaky defense that has conceded regularly in recent fixtures.
Betting Proposal
Given the form and home advantage it makes sense to back Argentina to win comfortably and cover a decent margin. The team has shown they can put teams away with ease and Iceland simply lack the firepower to stay competitive for long.
Bet on Argentina with a handicap of minus 1.5 goals at odds of 1.65
