Argentina maintained their unbeaten home record with just over a week to go to the start of the World Cup with a 2-0 win over Slovenia on Saturday night.
The first half saw chances come very few and far between, with Ricardo Alvarez opening the scoring in the 12th minute with a weaving run and low finish from the edge of the box.
With the introduction of both Sergio Aguero and Lionel Messi Argentina managed to score the important second 15 minutes from time as the Manchester City man headed across goal for the captain to score.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Good evening football fans. We have what should be an exciting match for you tonight as Argentina end their World Cup warm-ups with a clash against Slovenia.
Argentina's long home run without defeat could well continue tonight, but if it does they will have got through what, on paper, is not an easy contest. They made light work of Trinidad and Tobago in their last game and tonight will see their defence tested as well I would have thought.
With kickoff just about 10 minutes away, let's take a look at the two teams.
ARGENTINA XI: Romero; Fernandez, Mascherano, Basanta, Fernandez, Biglia; Perez, Rojo; Rodríguez, Lavezzi, Alvarez
SLOVENIA XI: Belec; Samardzic, Jokic, Cesar, Brecko; Rotman, Kurtic, Stevanovic; Ilicic, Novakovic, Kirm
So both Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero are on the bench for Argentina tonight, so it looks as though Sabella might be giving one or two fringe players a shot at getting into his squad. Even without them, it's a pretty strong XI and Samir Belec will need to be on form tonight.
The players are out on the pitch and it won't be long until we get underway. It should be a win for Argentina, but Slovenia are ranked 25th so we should see a game.
KICKOFF: After a slight delay we do get underway. The visiting Slovenia get things started.
As you might expect Argentina are passing it calmly between midfield and defence early on. They are being closed down quickly when they get into the Slovenian half, however. It's just the lumbering figure of Milivoje Novakovic alone up front for the Europeans.
Chance for a counter-attack there for the away side, but Argentina were back quickly to win it back. No chances as yet, Argentina are remaining patient.
Nothing much further to report, but Argentina are seeing the vast majority of the ball. Biglia is keen to see the ball early on and is starting quite a few moves. Lavezzi goes down in the box, but is told to get up. That could have been close.
GOAL! Argentina 1-0 Slovenia (Ricardo Alvarez)
It's the first real opening, but a goal is a goal. Alvarez drove at the defence, jinked left and struck a fine low strike into the corner on his left foot. There was a good decoy run by Lavezzi to open up the space.
ARGENTINA SUB: I said Biglia had played well so far, but he had been limping over the last few moments and has to be replaced. Hugo Campagnaro comes on for him.
Slovenia are definitely set up to play on the break this evening. They are letting their hosts have the ball up to half way, but are then trying to take advantage of any loose touches. There have not been many so far.
BOOKING: That's probably a little harsh in a friendly. Kirm fouls Perez and it being his second infringement is probably why he has gone into the book.
It's really quite comfortable for the hosts, who surely have more than 70% of possession - I'll check that... That said, there has still been just the one real chance.
Slovenia earn a corner here, as an early cross is just put over the crossbar before Novakovic could get there. It comes to nothing, however, and the big striker must continue to wait for a chance.
CHANCE! Rodriguez really has to do better there! It's a brilliant ball to him to beat the offside trap by Mascherano, but his shot is tame and Belec gathers gratefully.
No other chances to report, but Slovenia are seeing a bit more of the ball now. It has been a little disappointing thus far, if I'm honest.
The final ball from Slovenia has just been a bit aimless so far. Novakovic's movement has been ok, but they just cannot pick him out at the moment.
CLOSE! Really good effort there from Rodriguez from outside the box, and it's a brilliant flying stop from Belec to tip it on to the bar. What a strike.
Another half-chance for Slovenia as the ball is delivered into the box, but poked away first by an Argentina boot. Kurtic is looking a little frustrated at not seeing much of the ball and brings down Mascherano.
There has been a short spell of Slovenia possession in the last few minutes, but like Argentina before them they have not got very far with it. Eventually Kurtic gives away a throw and the hosts have it back.
Mascherano has won plenty of free kicks to get his side out of trouble. He's very good at that and it's important in certain games to have a player who does that. Fernandez gives the ball away, but fortunately for him it doesn't lead to a chance.
There will be on minute of time added on at the end of the half.
HALF-TIME: Argentina 1-0 Slovenia
Well it has been a rather disappointing half of football, with very few chances at both ends. Alvarez scored a good goal from nothing, and the only other real highlight was Rodriguez's excellent attempt from 20 yards.
Slovenia have created nothing of note, but that does not mean that Argentina have dominated the chances - there just haven't been any. It's fair to say that the second half can only get better.
Argentina have seen a lot of the ball in their own half and in the middle third, but the movement of, say, a Messi or an Aguero, has just not quite been there so far. One or both will probably make an appearance at some point in the second half.
Not long until the second 45 get underway then. The Argentina subs are still warming up as the officials enter the field. It's a good crowd for this one, with not too many empty seats.
SLOVENIA SUB: Ilicic leaves the field, with Pecnik coming on and Kirm off for Lazarevic.
KICKOFF: We get back underway for the second half. Will this one be better?
Big cheers around the stands as Messi gets off the bench to limber up. On the pitch not much has happened so far, with Mascherano looking to dictate from just in front of the defence.
BOOKING: The first card for Argentina there, as Mascherano takes out Kurtic with a sliding tackle. Just about fair, but the referee has set a precedent now.
Rare corner for Slovenia, but that was an absolutely dreadful delivery as it goes out of play for a throw at the far end. You have to feel they have a chance from set pieces with the height of Novakovic, but not with deliveries like that.
SAVE! Really good stop there by Belec. Lavezzi wins the ball in the Slovenia box, before backheeling to Alvarez, whose low effort from an angle towards the bottom corner is kept out by the away stopper.
ARGENTINA SUBS: Loads of new faces coming on for Argentina. We have Messi, Aguero, Angel di Maria and Fernando Gago all on for Alvarez, Rodriguez, Lavezzi and one other - I'll double-check who.
CHANCE! Snap-shot in the box there for Novakovic from Lazarevic's pass, but although powerful it was straight at Romero.
Argentina have a free kick here around 25 yards out, in Messi territory...
It clipped the top of the wall and deflected kindly for Belec. It wasn't enough of a deflection to wrong-foot him and the keeper gathered easily.
Not a bad strike there from Di Maria, although Belec probably had it covered. He shot from the left side of the box around 30 yards out and it bobbled wide of the far post.
Even with Aguero and Messi on, Argentina are still not creating a great deal of chances. The Barca man goes down very easily in the box there and the referee decides against a booking. I've seen YouTube vidoes entitled "Messi doesn't dive" - I think that act there has disproved all of them.
Slovenia have had patches of possession around the half-way line, but they have barely had a sniff inside the Argentina third. Just like Italy the other night, though, Argentina need to score again or they could end up losing this.
I have been disappointed with what I have seen from Argentina so far. Slovenia are no mugs, of course, but the hosts will simply have to do better in their group up against teams who will look to remain tight against them.
With just 15 minutes of the game left Slovenia enjoy perhaps their best spell of possession. Brecko wants way too long on the right and loses the ball, setting up a counter-attack.
GOAL! Argentina 2-0 Slovenia (Lionel Messi)
That's the goal that the home fans wanted to see! The ball was clipped over the defence to Aguero, who nodded across goal for Messi to finish. A really well worked goal, and that should be the result now.
The crowd are enjoying every pass now as their heroes start to turn on the style. No chances as yet since the goal, but the hosts remain well on top with most of the ball.
Aguero is playing well on the left side of the attack, and he's the main outlet at the moment for the Argentinians. Slovenia look to break but the hosts are very quick to get back again and the chance has fizzled out.
The crowd think that effort from Di Maria was closer than it actually went. Messi drove into the box before laying it to the Real Madrid man, but the shot from outside the box barely curled and went wide.
It doesn't look likely that there will be any more goals now, as Argentina seem happy just to see out the game with passing.
As three minutes of time are added on, Messi has another chance with a free kick. This time 30 yards from goal.
Reall nice footwork by Messi there, who brings it down in the box, skins a few players but is forced back. He's fouled 25 yards out - one last chance?
FULL-TIME: Argentina 2-0 Slovenia
Not totally convincing from Argentina, perhaps, but they did enough to take a comfortable win. Messi and Aguero combined well for the second, which will provide encouragement ahead of their World Cup opener.
Thanks for joining me tonight for Argentina's final warm-up game. Next up they take on Bosnia and Herzegovina in the tournament proper, and although they haven't been brilliant recently they have done more than enough to head into the tournament in form. Goodbye for now.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
