Argentina beat Burkina Faso 7-0 in Buenos Aires in a friendly shaped from start to finish by the visitors’ travel problems, with the African side reaching the city only six hours before kickoff after an 11-hour flight from Casablanca.
Burkina Faso’s senior national team refused to travel to Argentina because of problems with the flight arrangements and certain financial issues, which forced the country to be represented by its Under-23 team in what became an embarrassing occasion across the full 90 minutes.
Lautaro Martínez opened the scoring in the 3rd minute, and Argentina were awarded a penalty soon after; Martínez missed it but scored from the goalkeeper’s rebound. Moumouni Diallo turned the ball into his own net in the 8th minute and Gianluca Prestianni made it three in the 12th, capping a dramatic opening quarter of an hour. Nicolás Paz struck in the 35th minute and Julián Álvarez in the 36th, two goals in a minute sending Argentina in at half-time 5-0 up. Franco Mastantuono added the sixth in the 57th minute and Giuliano Simeone completed the scoring in the 91st.
Burkina Faso finished the match with 25% possession and managed just one shot on target, and Argentina could have scored as many goals as they wanted. Lionel Scaloni was careful to thank the visitors for turning up at all: “They dignify football, we tried to play the match as if it were a final because that is the only way these boys would be respected. We appreciate the effort they made to come, they could have stayed and the match would have been suspended. What they did is very commendable. Such a long flight and arriving at the time they did and playing… It’s not easy.”
In the second half Scaloni rotated his entire bench, including the goalkeeper, and handed debuts to three players: Matías Soulé, Tomás Palacios and Santiago Castro. Chilean referee José Cabrero booked Moumouni Diallo, and the match was played at the Antonio Vespucio Liberti “Monumental” Stadium in the City of Buenos Aires on a FIFA date.
Argentina now prepare for Leo Messi’s farewell in his final match with the Albiceleste, on Tuesday night against Benin at the Monumental. “The Tuesday match, I imagine, will be very emotional, for everyone, including Leo; it will be an unforgettable day. It will be his day, and that of his teammates as well, who also gave him his greatest joy in football. I am grateful to be able to enjoy it,” Scaloni said at a press conference.