Days after their controversial defeat against Morocco, Argentina seek a response in their Paris 2024 Olympics Group B match with Iraq at Groupama Stadium on Saturday.
Javier Mascherano described the events against the North Africans as a "circus" but the South Americans must refocus to avoid group-stage elimination against a side that claimed maximum points against Ukraine last time out.
Match preview
Argentina's match with Morocco kickstarted the drama at the Olympics, with Mascherano's men thinking they had levelled at the death, having their match suspended for over an hour before realising Giuliano Simeone's seeming equaliser in the 16th minute of second-half stoppage time had been chalked off.
That loss means one of the favourites to clinch the gold medal could now exit the competition if they are beaten by Iraq in Lyon this weekend.
Argentina's history in men's football at the Games shows that they claimed gold medals in Athens and Beijing, but they failed to qualify for London 2012 and suffered consecutive early exits in Brazil and Tokyo.
Mascherano hopes to halt the ongoing pattern of not going past the group stage at the Olympics, even if the former combative midfielder must get his players to regain their focus after what looked to be a well-earned point from 2-0 down ended in a 2-1 loss against Morocco.
Given what is at stake and the group's quality, Argentina's supporters should back their players to come up trumps this weekend.
Iraq will hope to compound the South American nation's misery in the Games by securing a win that all but confirms their exit from the tournament.
While a point for Radhi Shenaishil's men probably books their place in the last eight, they can be assured of qualification by securing maximum points on Saturday.
That motivation should inspire Iraq to a colossal showing this weekend, knowing they could make it out of the group for the first time since 2004 — when they played in a bronze medal match.
Their next appearance in 2016 saw the Lions of Babylon draw three group-stage games to exit despite going undefeated, but goals from Aymen Hussein and Ali Jasim Elaibi turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 win over Ukraine last time out, leaving them within another win or a draw from making another last-eight match.
Team News
Simeone is pushing for a start after his strong showing off the bench in Wednesday's defeat by Morocco.
Mascherano will hope Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez puts all the noise surrounding his future behind him as the South Americans seek inspiration against Iraq.
Hussein put himself about in the win over Ukraine, and the 28-year-old forward should be a handful for Argentina's defence on Saturday.
Apart from Hussein, Shenaishil will look to Karrar Mohammed to produce another top midfield showing along with Ibrahim Bayesh.
Argentina possible starting lineup:
Rulli; Garcia, Di Cesare, Otamendi, Soler; Simeone, Medina, Hezze, Almada; Beltran, Alvarez
Iraq possible starting lineup:
Hassan; Saadon, Ojaimi, Tahseen, Reeshawee; Bayesh, K. Ali; H. Ali, Mohammed, Amyn; Hussein
We say: Argentina 2-1 Iraq
With elimination staring them in the face, Argentina need no extra motivation to produce a positive showing from the off against Iraq.
Their opponents will be tough to beat, but Mascherano's side will put their tournament-opening defeat against Morocco behind them to notch a significant win against the Lions of Babylon.
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