After a rather unimpressive display against Bosnia-Herzegovina, Argentina will be hoping to put a more dominant performance when they go against Iran on Saturday. La Albiceleste did win the match ultimately, thanks to individual brilliance from Barcelona ace Lionel Messi, but the victory was not that straight forward.
There are further speculations of a rift within the squad after Messi declared his discontent with the tactics used in the opening match. Alejandro Sabella opted for a 5-3-2 formation, something which did not settle well with the Barcelona star who is more used to a 4-3-3 setup.
It is reported that Messi along with other star players insisted that the formation be changed at half time something Sabella did pay heed too, but there is growing speculation that the relationship between the head coach and his star player has been tarnished, a claim which has been rejected by members of the Argentinean squad.
Regardless of the formation Sabella chooses to use, Argentina must be patient against an Iran side which gave Nigeria a run for their money in their last encounter. The match ended in a stalemate as either side failed to break the deadlock however it was the Iranian side which was constantly resilient at the back and maintained the energy for 90 minutes to prevent Nigeria from scoring.
Even though it is a monumental task to keep the likes of Angel Di Maria, Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero at bay, Argentina have shown their inability to do well infront of disciplined defences and Iran can cause them some trouble.
Iran head coach Carlos Queiroz is uneasy with his side being labeled a defensive team. The former Man United assistant manager praised their opposition on Saturday and also hinted on his future with the national side.
"Argentina carry a top reputation in world football," he said.
"It's difficult to find another national team with so much credibility and reputation. They are among the top five teams in the world.”
"I will end my relationship [with Iran] after the World Cup," the Iran manager said.
"There was a moment when Iran proposed that I stay, and they still are showing that they want me here.
"But there is not enough support from the government, and it's clear that the interest in continuing doing the job we have been doing developing the national squads... is over due to financial conditions.
"The dialogue is over, and I already decided that I am not going to stay."
Inter Milan star Rodrigo Palacio is Argentina’s only injury concern but might can still make it to the squad if he passes a late fitness test. Angel Di Maria who has been suffering from a muscle strain after the 2-1 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina went through a special fitness regime and should be fit to face Iran.
Iran on the other hand are set to be without their prodigal forward Sardar Azmoun who has failed to recover from a knock and is unlikely to play any part during Saturday’s encounter.
Where to watch the match – live stream, start time, TV channels, live scores
Watch Argentina vs Iran live on Saturday, June 21, 2014:
In the US at 12.00 EST on:
• On TV: Univision Deportes USA, Univision USA, ESPN Deportes+
• Online & Apps:,ESPN3 Online-App, WATCH ESPN, Univision Deportes En Vivo, SiriusXM FC
• Audio / Radio: Futbol de Primera Radio, ESPN Radio, TSN 1050 Toronto, ICI Radio-Canada En Direct
In Canada at 12.00 ET on:
• On TV: Mediaset Italia, Univision Canada
• Online & Apps: CBC Sports Live Streaming, TSN 1200 Ottawa, Radio Canada - CBC
• Audio / Radio: TSN 690 Montreal
In the UK at 17.00 BST on:
• On TV: UTV, STV Scotland
• Online & Apps: The ITV Player, ITV 1 UK
• Audio / Radio: TalkSport Radio, BBC Radio 5 Live
In Australia on:
• On TV: SBS One Australia
• Audio / Radio: SSBS Radio 2, SBS Radio 1
For complete details of match listings and live scores, visit the Argentina vs Iran match page.
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