Argentina bounced back to winning ways on Friday and continued their preparations for the 2018 FIFA World Cup with a 2-0 friendly victory over Italy at the Etihad Stadium.The South Americans suffered a 4-2 defeat against Nigeria in their last outing, but a pair of late strikes from Ever Banega and Manuel Lanzini sealed their third win in four matches.La Albiceleste next travel to Madrid for a meeting with Spain in Atletico Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano Stadium on Tuesday, the same day Italy are due back in action against England at Wembley Stadium.Argentinian attackers Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero missed out through fatigue and injury, respectively, with the latter missing the chance to dazzle in front of a home crowd at the Etihad.Giorgio Chiellini was the big absence for Italy, meanwhile, as his Juventus team-mate, Daniele Rugani, came in to partner AC Milan's Leonardo Bonucci in central defence.Argentina manager Jorge Sampaoli left Serie A stars Paulo Dybala and Mauro Icardi out of his squad altogether and recently suggested both struggle to perform in the national team, perAS.Even with those omissions, both teams brought teams posing plenty of scoring potential to Manchester;Juve star Gonzalo Higuain stood up top for Argentina while Lazio's in-form Ciro Immobile led the line for the Azzurri.Despite the pedigree and lustre generally associated with these two international powerhouses, however, the first half was a largely a dud in which, save for a few Buffon saves, little unfolded at the Etihad.Manchester City's success this season has seen the stadium bare witness to some of the most open and attractive club football in the world this season; James Gheerbrant ofThe Timesexplained how Friday's clash differed:Or at least that was the case in the first half. After an hour or so, Italy caretaker boss Luigi Di Biagio made five changes in a little more than 10 minutes, while Argentina made only two in the same time, and one of those introduced had an almost instant impact.Banega finally gave the match the breakthrough it sorely needed when Giovani Lo Celso exchanged a sharp one-two with the Sevilla star on the edge of the box before he fired low into Gianluigi Buffon's bottom-right corner.Argentinian football writer Roy Nemer praised the opener but noted the need to create such chances more organicallyand perhaps most importantly, with key personnel in the team:West Ham United star Lanzini may not stand as an adequate Dybala alternative for some, but the manner in which he followed up Banega's 74th-minute goal might begin to change some minds.Higuain seared toward two Italy defenders in a three-on-three deep in Italy's half, two of whom were too preoccupied with the striker to properly track Lanzini's run and drive into the top-left corner.Football writer Nick Dorrington argued the Hammers hero as one of the more impressive uncertain selections who enhanced their reputation on Friday:One would argue Argentina's bench proved the defining factor on the night, as did a defence that kept a clean sheet against an Italy side that's now failed to score for some 287 minutes on the pitch.Their preparations matter little, however, owing to the fact they haven't qualified for this summer's World Cup, while Argentina will take their positives from a satisfying win building toward Spain on Tuesday.
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