Argentina vs Honduras prediction: WORLD: Friendly International betting tips on match 2022-09-23 00:00.
With the World Cup on the horizon, and perhaps one last chance for Lionel Messi to get his hands on football's international showpiece trophy, this warm-up friendly fixture could play a key role in dictating the momentum Argentina carry into Qatar. A return to form for key players such as Roma’s Paulo Dybala looks set to aid Argentina’s bid to extend their unbeaten 33-game run (W23, D10), with their last defeat coming way back in July 2019!
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni perhaps can’t take much credit for Dybala’s upturn in form, with Roma boss José Mourinho already claiming he is responsible and that Scaloni owes him a few bottles of wine! Scaloni certainly is responsible for securing Argentina silverware though, overseeing both a Copa América title and a Finalissima victory over Italy, but delivering a first World Cup title since 1986 surely remains the ultimate goal, and that quest begins with this warm-up game against Honduras.
The Hondurans won’t be making an appearance in Qatar in two months' time, though that doesn’t mean they won’t provide a stern test for Argentina here. Despite bringing up the rear on CONCACAF’s World Cup Qualification (WCQ) group, winning none of their 14 games (D4, L10), Honduras have since won two of their last three internationals (L1), including against a Canada side who topped their WCQ group (2-1).
That would certainly indicate an upturn in form, but whether it’s enough to threaten an Argentina side (#3) ranked 40 places better than Canada (#43) by FIFA remains to be seen. Yet you never quite know what you’re going to get from Honduras, especially in friendlies as they’ve alternated between a draw and a defeat across their last six, but with both teams scoring in five of those games, goals may be on the menu.
Players to watch: Lionel Messi has never scored against Honduras, but he did score five in Argentina’s last outing! Meanwhile, Honduras’ Romell Quioto has scored the last goal of the game in three of his previous four international goalscoring appearances.
Hot stat: Argentina have kept a clean sheet in ten of their last 12 internationals.