Zambia suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat to world champions Argentina in an international friendly, as the South Americans delivered a dominant display from start to finish.
Argentina wasted no time asserting their authority, taking the lead just three minutes into the match through Julián Álvarez, who capitalized on a quick attacking move to put the hosts ahead.
Despite trying to settle into the game, Chipolopolo struggled to contain the fluid Argentine attack, and just before the break, Lionel Messi doubled the advantage in the 43rd minute with a composed finish.
The second half offered little respite for Zambia. Veteran defender Nicolás Otamendi made it 3-0 from the penalty spot in the 50th minute after Argentina were awarded a spot-kick.
Things went from bad to worse in the 68th minute when Dominic Chanda inadvertently turned the ball into his own net under pressure, further compounding Zambia’s misery.
Substitute Valentín Barco rounded off the scoring deep into stoppage time (90+4’) to complete a comprehensive 5-0 victory for the reigning world champions.
The result highlights Zambia’s ongoing struggles at international level. Chipolopolo have now conceded 38 goals in their last 19 matches, scoring just 10 and managing only one win in that run.
While the gulf in quality against a side like Argentina was always expected, the defensive vulnerabilities and lack of cutting edge in attack will be a concern for the technical bench as they look ahead to future assignments.
Full Time: Argentina 5-0 Zambia
