Manchester (England), March 24 (IANS) Argentina looked out-of-sorts without superstar Lionel Messi for much of their pre-World Cup friendly here against Italy, but midfielders Ever Banega and Manuel Lanzini scored second-half goals to lift them to a 2-0 victory.

Although Argentina is regarded as a contender at this summer’s World Cup in Russia and Italy is in rebuilding mode after failing to qualify for football’s showcase event for the first time in 60 years, both teams seemed equally lacking in ideas and structure and overly dependent on their star players to rescue them during Friday night’s game, reports EFE news agency.

Even so, the South Americans still had enough punch to threaten the opposing goal, with veteran net minder Gianluigi Buffon making saves on shots in the first half by Nicolas Otamendi, Nicolas Tagliafico and Gonzalo Higuain to keep the game scoreless at the intermission.

Argentina continued to win the ball-possession battle in the second half, yet Italy mounted some threats on the counter-attack and forced Willy Caballero — making his debut for the national squad at age 36 — to intervene and snuff out chances by forwards Lorenzo Insigne and Ciro Immobile.

With the game scoreless more than an hour into the contest, the 10,000 fans in attendance started doing the wave and chanting for Messi.

But even though the FC Barcelona striker did not take the field due to concerns about muscle fatigue, Argentine head coach Jorge Sampaoli gave his team a lift by inserting Banega for Leandro Paredes and Diego Perotti for Angel Di Maria.

With 15 minutes remaining, Banega executed a give-and-go with Giovani Lo Celso and then fired a powerful left-footed shot that entered the goal past a frozen Buffon.

Then in a counterattack play in the 84th minute, Higuain dribbled to a spot just shy of the penalty box and dished off to an unmarked Lanzini, who scored past Buffon with his right foot for an insurance goal.

Argentina will next face a tougher challenge when it squares off Tuesday night in a friendly in Madrid against Spain.

Italy will take on another World Cup-bound team, England, that same night in London.

–IANS
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