Nico Paz scores his first goal for Argentina, a free-kick watched by Messi: 2-1 against Mauritania, with Enzo Fernández also on the scoresheet

For Nico Paz, this was his first goal in an Argentina shirt: a free-kick from the edge of the box, struck low with his left foot towards the far post, taking advantage of a gap in the wall. And all this took place under the watchful eye of Leo Messi, who was on the bench and would come on at the start of the second half to replace the Como player. Among the players who could have taken that free-kick were Enzo Fernández and Thiago Almada; the three had a quick discussion to decide how to take it, and in the end Nico Paz slotted it home.

No other players from our league came on during the match; Como midfielder Maximo Perrone was on the bench but remained on the sidelines for the full 90 minutes. In Mauritania’s starting line-up, however, Lecce midfielder Oumar Ngom was deployed in midfield in the initial 4-4-2 formation, before being substituted just over ten minutes before the end of the match. Argentina’s next match will also be a friendly against Zambia, scheduled for 1.15 am on the night of Tuesday 31 March to Wednesday 1 April.