Fans at the El Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires saw a very strange football game on Saturday. Many people bought tickets hoping to watch a fun, competitive international friendly match. Instead, they witnessed a completely one-sided event. Argentina score 7 past makeshift Burkina Faso in a match that was practically over before it even really began.
Why was the game so incredibly easy for the home team? The answer has nothing to do with tactics on the field. It has everything to do with airplanes, money disputes, and severe travel chaos. The away team faced a true nightmare before the referee even blew the starting whistle.
If you missed this wild and controversial story, you are in the perfect place. Let us break down all the shocking details of this strange night in very simple terms.
A Complete Flight Nightmare
Long trips are always hard for athletes. But this trip was a complete disaster. Burkina Faso was scheduled to fly from Morocco to Argentina. Sadly, their special charter flight was suddenly canceled.
This sudden cancelation caused massive problems. The senior players on the national team became very angry. They completely refused to travel. They were deeply upset about financial issues and extreme fatigue. Because the main star players quit, the football leaders had to make a fast choice. They quickly called up an emergency squad. This new squad was made mostly of under-23 youth players.
This young, emergency team had to make the long trip across the ocean without their stars. They had zero time to practice or train together. They were simply thrown into a terrible situation.
Arriving Just in Time
The intense travel stress did not stop there. The emergency squad landed in Buenos Aires just five short hours before the game started. Think about how crazy that is! They had to get off a long flight and rush straight to the stadium to play against the reigning world champions.
The young players suffered from severe jet lag. They were incredibly tired. Also, almost none of them had any real experience playing at this high level. In fact, only one single player on the field for the visitors actually plays professional club football in Europe. His name is Chec Bebel, and he plays in Romania. The rest of the team was completely outmatched.
The Match Begins: A Fast Lead
When the referee started the game, the home team took total control right away. It was instantly clear that Argentina score 7 past makeshift Burkina Faso was going to happen easily.
In just the fourth minute of the game, Argentina earned a penalty kick. Star striker Lautaro Martínez stepped up to take the shot. The tired goalkeeper actually saved his first try, but Lautaro quickly kicked the fast rebound into the net. It was 1-0 very fast.
Just four minutes later, things got much worse for the visitors. Julián Álvarez took a hard shot inside the penalty box. A defender named Moumouni Diallo accidentally tipped the ball into his own net. This sad own goal made the score 2-0.
Then, in the 12th minute, Gianluca Prestianni found an open space. He easily scored the third goal of the night. Before 15 minutes had even passed, the competitive part of the game was already over.
Nico Paz and Julián Álvarez Join the Fun
The home team kept pushing forward. They did not stop attacking the goal. The tired away team simply could not keep up with the fast passes and fresh legs.
In the 35th minute, Nico Paz received the ball. He controlled it very calmly and kicked it right through the goalkeeper’s legs. This clever move made the score 4-0.
Only one minute later, Julián Álvarez finally got his own clean goal. Nico Paz started the play, Alexis Mac Allister made a perfect assist, and Álvarez tapped it in.
When the halftime whistle blew, the score was an ugly 5-0. The crowd at El Monumental cheered loudly, but the game felt very strange. It was simply too easy. For more news on international friendly schedules, you can check out [Link to relevant source].
Second Half: Fresh Faces Score
After the break, coach Lionel Scaloni decided to make several changes. He let some new, young players step onto the pitch to get some practice.
One of these players was Franco Mastantuono. He came into the game and made a huge, immediate impact. In the 57th minute, he found himself all alone facing the goalkeeper. He kicked the ball into the net to make it a painful 6-0. This was a very special moment for the young man because it was his first-ever senior goal for his country.
In the 87th minute, Burkina Faso finally had a tiny moment to cheer. They pushed hard and won their very first corner kick of the entire night. It did not lead to a goal, but it proved that they never stopped trying.
Finally, deep into extra stoppage time at the end of the game (90+3 minutes), Giuliano Simeone scored a nice header. This final goal officially ended the game. The scoreboard showed a massive 7-0 victory.
Where Was Lionel Messi?
Fans who spent money on tickets hoping to see the legendary Lionel Messi were a little sad. The famous captain did not play in this game at all.
Why did he sit out? The team is saving him for a much bigger, more important event. Argentina is planning a very special farewell match for Messi. They will play against Benin on October 6. Coach Scaloni wanted to keep his star player totally safe and fully rested for that highly emotional goodbye game.
What This Means for Both Teams
This strange game will go down in the record books for two very different reasons.
For the home team, it was a proud, record-tying night. Winning 7-0 equals their biggest victory ever under head coach Lionel Scaloni. They previously beat Curacao by the exact same 7-0 score in the year 2023. The squad looks very strong, healthy, and completely ready for their next challenge.
For the away team, it was a sad ending to a terrible week. When the final whistle blew, the players did not stay on the field to shake hands or trade jerseys. They were totally exhausted. They walked straight into the locker room and quickly left the stadium. They even skipped all of their normal media interviews so they could finally go get some sleep. Now, their national football leaders must work hard to fix the big money problems back home.
Conclusion
Football is usually a highly competitive and fair game, but Saturday night was a huge exception. Because of canceled flights and angry veteran players, a tired youth team had to face the powerful world champions on almost zero sleep. It was absolutely no surprise to see Argentina score 7 past makeshift Burkina Faso. While the happy home fans got to celebrate many beautiful goals, we must deeply respect the young visiting players who tried their very best after surviving a true travel nightmare.
FAQs:
Q: Why did Burkina Faso send a youth team to play Argentina?
A: Burkina Faso’s senior players refused to travel due to canceled charter flights and financial disputes, forcing the nation to send an emergency U-23 squad at the last minute.
Q: When did the Burkina Faso team arrive for the game?
A: The emergency team landed in Buenos Aires just five hours before the match started, causing extreme fatigue and jet lag.
Q: Did Lionel Messi play in the 7-0 victory?
A: No, Lionel Messi did not play in this match. He was rested to prepare for his upcoming farewell game against Benin on October 6.
Q: Who scored the goals for Argentina?
A: The goals were scored by Lautaro Martínez, Gianluca Prestianni, Nico Paz, Julián Álvarez, Franco Mastantuono, Giuliano Simeone, and an own goal by Burkina Faso’s Moumouni Diallo.
