International Friendly Preview: Argentina v Slovenia

Alejandro Sabella will be hoping to see a more clinical Argentina when his side take on Slovenia on Saturday.

Despite picking up a 3-0 friendly win over Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday, the South Americans squandered numerous opportunities to pile on the goals in Buenos Aires.

Only five of Argentina’s 17 shots found the target in that match, which could prompt Sabella to rotate his front line for the nation’s final FIFA World Cup warm-up.

Rodrigo Palacio, Lionel Messi and Ezequiel Lavezzi led the line for Argentina on Wednesday, but with the likes of Gonzalo Higuain waiting in the wings, Sabella may feel he has more potent attacking options at his disposal, although Sergio Aguero is a doubt with a thigh problem.

That said, it was Inter forward Palacio who opened the scoring against Trinidad and Tobago, with Javier Mascherano and substitute Maxi Rodriguez adding a goal apiece after the break.

And Rodriguez, who featured at both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups for Argentina, is optimistic about his country’s chances in Brazil after his goalscoring cameo on Wednesday.

“I’m proud to be taking part in my third World Cup, but I’m enjoying it as if it was my first,” he is quoted as saying by Mundo Albiceleste.

“If there’s anything I learned in my career is that you have to keep fighting.

“You have to stay calm. It’s a team that has to win the World Cup and we have to go in with that mentality.”

Slovenia have put up little fight in their role as pre-World Cup opponents in recent months, losing 2-0 to both Algeria and Uruguay.

Argentina will be aiming to fine-tune their World Cup plans against a side 25th in the latest FIFA rankings, with their tournament opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina to come a week on Sunday.

As well as the Bosnians, Sabella’s men will come up against Nigeria and Iran in Group F.