As qualifying for the 2014 Brazil World Cup continues, Argentina and Guatemala are preparing to meet one another in an International Friendly. While the Argentine national team is expected to make a strong run at next summer's tournament, Guatemala will not be a World Cup participant since they failed to advance to the fourth round of CONCACAF group qualifying.
Guatemala last played Argentina in 2008, losing to the 1978 and 1986 World Cup champions 5-0. The team's last victory came in World Cup competition in October when they defeated the Jamaican national team 2-1 and although the Guatemalans might not have much to play for as far as points are concerned, their Argentine opponents can take a lot from the upcoming contest. Struggling offensively during their last few matches, Argentina can use this friendly to tweak the line-up to try and find different combinations that may suit them once they resume World Cup qualification.
When and Where to Watch International Friendly
The match between the Argentine nationals and Guatemala will be played on Friday, June 14. Game time is set for 10:00 p.m., EDT from the Estadio Mateo Flores in Guatemala City.
Television coverage will be provided by GolTV while an online livestream can be found by following this link.
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International Friendly Preview - Argentina
Finishing 5 at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Argentina began qualifying for the Brazil games confident in their abilities to make a serious championship run for the first time since 1990 when they finished second to West Germany. Currently pacing the South American group in WC qualifying with 26 points, the Argentine nationals will enter Friday's match against Guatemala coming off three-consecutive draws.
A 1-1 tie with group bottom-feeder Bolivia started a string of ties for an Argentina team that was expected to command the pool, although tough competition from Ecuador and Colombia would certainly come into play. Battling the Colombian nationals last week in Buenos Aires, Argentina was held off the scoreboard for the first time since a suffering a 1-0 loss to Venezuela back in 2011. The good news for the Argentines against Colombia was that their defense was able to return the favor, allowing the team to walk away with the draw. A second-consecutive grueling match came against Ecuador and although Sergio Aguero was able to get his squad on the board, Argentina finished in 1-1 tie with the third place team in their group.
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Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella may use Friday's friendly as an opportunity to try a different offensive approach since his team has clearly lacked the ability to score on a consistent basis. Premier scorer and best player in the game Lionel Messi came off the bench in the last two matches and without their leading talent on the field for large portions of the game, Argentina hasn't found the ability to produce shots. Luckily for Argentina however, they'll try some experimenting against a Guatemalan team that shouldn't pose much of a threat.
International Friendly Preview - Guatemala
While Argentina continues to play decent soccer, the Guatemalan nationals find themselves in a bit of a rut. Unable to advance to the hexagonal round in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, Guatemala now focuses on the upcoming match with the Argentines. Dropping their last 5 matches overall by a combined score of 15-3 -- including a 3-1 loss to the United States in qualifying -- Guatemala has struggled mightily on both ends of the field.
The team may receive a much-needed boost Friday night from an old friend however. Earlier in the week, MLS club D.C. United announced that forward Carlos Ruiz has been called up to his national team and his return match will be the upcoming friendly. Ruiz retired from national play last October and will now look to give Guatemala a significant offensive boost, something he did for 15 years as a member of the Guatemalan squad.
Appearing in 104 total matches, the 33-year-old notched 55 goals while becoming club captain and all-time top goal scorer. Playing in 179 Major League Soccer matches, Ruiz continues to add to his career goal totals. Scoring 88 times while distributing 16 assists, Ruiz is also the leading goal-scorer in MLS postseason history.
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Wrap-Up
The upcoming Friendly between Argentina and Guatemala will give both teams an opportunity to test their skills in a match that won't have the pressure or significance of a World Cup qualifier.
Be sure to catch all the action on Friday, June 14 at 10:00 p.m., EDT. Television coverage will be provided by GolTV while an online livestream will be available by following this link.
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