Argentina 3-0 Benin: Messi controls the night, Paz takes his cue
Argentina beat Benin 3-0 on October 6 at El Monumental in Buenos Aires, a friendly on the calendar but not in feeling. L. Scaloni got control, goals, rotation and a clean sheet. G. Rohr got a long evening of containment, and very little access to Emiliano Martínez.
The scoreline was built after the break. Nicolás Otamendi scored in the 48th minute, assisted by Lionel Messi. Nico Paz scored in the 61st minute, also assisted by Messi. Messi then scored from the penalty spot in the 71st minute. Three Argentina shots on goal, three Argentina goals: efficient, cold, final.
Otamendi’s night had its own sharp little arc. Booked in the 44th minute for tripping, he returned after half-time to put Argentina ahead in the 48th minute, then came off in the 52nd minute for Lisandro Martínez. That sequence said plenty about Argentina’s depth: one veteran left having tilted the match, another elite defender entered, and the rhythm did not drop.
The bigger story, though, was Messi’s hand on the match. He assisted the first two goals, then took the third himself from the spot. No need to dress it up. On a night when Argentina had 67% possession and completed 200 of 219 passes, a 91% accuracy rate, he was still the reference point, the player who made sterile control become scoreboard control.
Nico Paz changed the tone quickly. Sent on in the 59th minute for Rodrigo De Paul, he scored in the 61st minute, assisted by Messi. For Scaloni, that mattered beyond the result. Argentina’s present still runs through Messi, but the next layer is being tested in real time. Paz needed two minutes to put his name on the match.
Numbers
| Stat | Argentina | Benin |
|---|---|---|
| Final score | 3 | 0 |
| Possession | 67% | 33% |
| Total shots | 5 | 4 |
| Shots on goal | 3 | 0 |
| Shots off goal | 2 | 2 |
| Blocked shots | 0 | 2 |
| Shots inside box | 3 | 3 |
| Shots outside box | 2 | 1 |
| Corner kicks | 2 | 1 |
| Fouls | 2 | 3 |
| Offsides | 1 | 0 |
| Total passes | 219 | 104 |
| Accurate passes | 200 | 85 |
| Pass accuracy | 91% | 82% |
Benin’s problem was clear: they had four shots, but none on goal. Rohr’s side did enough to avoid chaos for long spells, especially through Hassane Imourane, who was active in midfield with four tackles and two interceptions, but they never turned resistance into threat.
Argentina did not need volume. They needed timing.
Lineups and structure
L. Scaloni set Argentina up in a 4-3-3: Emiliano Martínez in goal; Agustín Giay, Cristian Romero, Nicolás Otamendi and Nicolás Tagliafico across the back; Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernández in midfield; Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martínez and Julián Álvarez as the front three.
G. Rohr used a 4-2-3-1 for Benin: Marcel Dandjinou in goal; Liam Omore, Yohan Roche, Mohamed Tijani and Tamimou Ouorou in defence; Sessi D'Almeida and Hassane Imourane as the double pivot; Rodolfo Aloko, Junior Olaitan and Yamirou Ouorou behind Aiyegun Tosin.
The shapes told the story. Argentina’s 4-3-3 gave them clean midfield circulation, with De Paul offering two key passes before his withdrawal and Enzo Fernández adding another layer of control. Benin’s 4-2-3-1 was designed to protect the centre, but once Messi started connecting the final actions, the protection gave way.
Mohamed Tijani was booked in the 55th minute for tripping, another sign that Benin were being pulled into uncomfortable defensive moments. Soon after, Argentina changed the midfield and attack. Nicolás González came on for Julián Álvarez in the 60th minute, and Paz made it 2-0 one minute later.
Key events
- 44': Yellow card for Nicolás Otamendi.
- 48': Goal for Argentina, Nicolás Otamendi scored, assisted by Lionel Messi.
- 52': Argentina substitution, Facundo Medina on for Nicolás Tagliafico.
- 52': Argentina substitution, Lisandro Martínez on for Nicolás Otamendi.
- 55': Yellow card for Mohamed Tijani.
- 59': Argentina substitution, Nico Paz on for Rodrigo De Paul.
- 60': Argentina substitution, Nicolás González on for Julián Álvarez.
- 61': Goal for Argentina, Nico Paz scored, assisted by Lionel Messi.
- 64': Benin substitution, Matteo Ahlinvi on for Junior Olaitan.
- 64': Benin substitution, Junior Olougbade on for Yamirou Ouorou.
- 71': Goal for Argentina, Lionel Messi scored a penalty.
- 75': Benin substitution, Jodel Dossou on for Aiyegun Tosin.
- 75': Benin substitution, Charlemagne Azongnitode on for Tamimou Ouorou.
- 76': Benin substitution, Saturnin Allagbé on for Marcel Dandjinou.
- 78': Argentina substitution, Leonel Flores on for Lautaro Martínez.
- 79': Argentina substitution, Giovani Lo Celso on for Alexis Mac Allister.
- 79': Argentina substitution, Exequiel Palacios on for Enzo Fernández.
- 79': Argentina substitution, Franco Mastantuono on for Cristian Romero.
- 90+1': Benin substitution, Amiro Amadou on for Yohan Roche.
- 90+1': Benin substitution, Sahid Ngobi on for Rodolfo Aloko.
- 90+1': Benin substitution, Samadou Attidjikou on for Hassane Imourane.
Next
For Argentina, this was clean business: 3-0, no goals conceded, Messi directly involved in all three goals, and Paz given a meaningful step into the frame. Scaloni will take that package every time.
For Benin, the lesson is sharper. Rohr’s side stayed organised for stretches, but zero shots on goal at El Monumental leaves no argument. The defensive base can travel. The attacking plan still needs work.
