A first-half header from defender Ramiro Funes Mori and a second half own goal from substitute Isaac Brizuela gave Argentina a 2-0 win over Mexico in a friendly in Cordoba on Friday. Dybala sent a great assist from set piece despite still can't find net for Argentina
2018 Friendlies
2-0
Match Events
26' NICE SHOT! Dybala's shot saved
A poor attempted clearance smacks off an Argentina player and drops kindly for Dybala who turns and fires from 15 yards, but his well-struck effort is straight at Ochoa! That would have got this crowd going, if local Cordoba-born hero Dybala opened the scoring.
38' WHAT A CHANCE! Lautaro's header saved
WHAT A CHANCE! An absolutely perfect delivery from Dybala as he gets both the power and timing spot on to pick out the run of Martinez with a stunning ball over the top, but the striker sees his header denied by Ochoa from point-blank range! He absolutely has to be scoring from there!
44'GOAL! Argentina 1-0 Mexico (Mori)
ARGENTINA HAVE THE BREAKTHROUGH! IT'S 1-0! Mexico's defence all out of sorts as they let three Argentina players in behind, any one of whom could have head home Dybala's free-kick, but it's Funes Mori who does so, bouncing an effort beyond Ochoa from a few yards out.
49' SHOT! Dybala's effort over the bar
83'OWN GOAL! Argentina 2-0 Mexico (Brizuela)
ARGENTINA DOUBLE THEIR LEAD! 2-0! It's come from out of nowhere really, as a well-worked move sends Saravia into space down the right and his cross is turned into the net by the substitute Brizuela, who was trying to clear ahead of Icardi's arrival!
Match Report
The Villareal centre-half opened the scoring a minute before half time when he got his head to a Paulo Dybala free kick as Mexican defenders stood back and watched.
Then Brizuela, who had replaced Miguel Layun only three minutes earlier, put through his own net eight minutes from time to seal a deserved win for the home side.
Both teams were led by interim coaches and Argentina were once again without Lionel Messi, who took a sabbatical from international football after the World Cup finals in Russia this summer.
But it was Lionel Scaloni, who took charge after Jorge Sampaoli's short stint ended with a disappointing World Cup performance, who came out on top to record his third win in five games and his fourth clean sheet.
Argentina and Mexico meet again in Mendoza on Tuesday.
Line-ups
Argentina XI: A. Marchesín, N. Tagliafico, R.F Mori, L. Paredes, M. Acuña, P. Dybala, Correa, R. Saravia, G. Lo Celso, Lautaro Martínez, J.Foyth
Subs: G. Mercado, Sergio Romero, F.Vázquez, N. Otamendi, R.Pereyra, Lamela, W. Kannemann, G. Rulli, Gazzaniga, G. Giménez, M. Meza, Icardi, De Paul, E. Mammana, G.Simeone, F. Cervi, Ascacibar
Mexico XI: G. Ochoa, M. Fabián, L. Rodríguez, A. Pulido, M. Layún, D. Reyes, J. Güemez, Néstor Araújo, R. Jiménez, Erick Gutiérrez, J. Gallardo
Subs: José Corona, Julio Domínguez, J. Dueñas, J. Aquino, I. Brizuela, H. González, E. Aguirre, Á. Zaldívar, H. Martín, R. Alvarado, V. Guzmán, E. Álvarez, G. Arteaga