Argentina's depth on display as Simeone, Lautaro dispatch Honduras in Texas

Argentina eased past Honduras 2-0 at Kyle Field in College Station on 7 June, a controlled friendly that let Lionel Scaloni stress‑test his depth while continuing Argentina’s June tour.

Scaloni set his side up in a 4-4-2 with Valentín Barco and Giuliano Simeone patrolling the wide areas and Thiago Almada working off Lautaro Martínez. Reinaldo Rueda’s Honduras stayed compact in a 4-2-3-1, yet Argentina monopolised the opening half-hour, circulating the ball with 95 percent accuracy; Barco’s yellow card for a foul in the 31st minute was the only early blemish.

Persistent pressure finally told when Lautaro Martínez converted a penalty in the 37th minute. Scaloni still refreshed things at the interval, sending on Rodrigo De Paul for Barco and Facundo Medina for Nicolás Tagliafico to quicken the left flank.

Lisandro Martínez picked up a yellow card in the 49th minute but stayed steady in build-up, and five minutes later Lautaro slipped Simeone through to finish clinically for 2-0. Rueda tried to stem the tide with four substitutions in the 62nd minute, introducing David Ruíz, Luis Vega, Exon Arzú and José Reyes, but the territorial balance barely shifted.

Within a minute Scaloni made his own sweeping changes, withdrawing Lautaro and Lisandro Martínez for José Manuel López and Cristian Romero while Enzo Fernández and Alexis Mac Allister replaced Almada and Giovani Lo Celso. Simeone capped an excellent outing — five key passes and four shots — before Nicolás Capaldo took his place in the 82nd minute to a warm reception. Behind him, Exequiel Palacios completed 110 of his 111 passes and De Paul dictated tempo, with Agustín Giay driving relentlessly down the right.

Argentina’s back line stayed organised and limited Honduras to four shots without testing either goalkeeper. Captain Edrick Menjívar registered five saves before Luis Ortiz relieved him in the 81st minute, while introductions such as Keyrol Figueroa and Clinton Bennett added energy but little penetration. Capaldo’s caution in the first minute of stoppage time was Argentina’s lone late blot, yet the clean sheet never looked in doubt.

Scaloni even handed goalkeeper Santiago Beltrán the final 14 minutes and replaced Nicolás Otamendi with Joaquín Freitas in the 86th minute, underscoring the experimental brief. Honduras, meanwhile, must regroup quickly if Rueda’s rebuild is to gather momentum.

Statistics

• Ball possession: Argentina 73 percent, Honduras 27 percent
• Total shots: Argentina 20, Honduras 4
• Shots on target: Argentina 8, Honduras 0
• Corner kicks: Argentina 6, Honduras 1
• Goalkeeper saves: Argentina 0, Honduras 6
• Total passes: Argentina 787 with 95 percent accuracy, Honduras 286 with 82 percent accuracy

Argentina depart Texas with minutes managed and form intact ahead of their next friendly later in the window. For more on the day’s international programme, see our preview of Oman vs Mozambique.