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Sergio Aguero saved Argentina's beacon with a goal in the dying embers as Argentina beat Russia 1-0 at the Lukhiki stadium in their first international game since qualifying for the World Cup.
With a near full-strength team, manager Jorge Sampaoli put out one of the best line-ups he could, but is sure to head back to the drawing board after watching his side huff and puff in what should've been a routine win otherwise.
Russia, the hosts for next year's showpiece, gave a poor account of themselves and might want to buck up a little before the Spanish fiesta on Tuesday. Here are the major talking points from the international friendly.
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#1 Argentina aren't a finished article yet
Just until last month, La Albiceleste were staring down the very real prospect of missing out on the World Cup finals for the first time in 40 years, had it not been for the Argentinian thaumaturge Lionel Messi to step up and hand an all-important victory on the final matchday with a blistering hat-trick. The knives drawn out on Sampaoli's band of busted flushes had to be pulled in after that magical night in Quito, but it seems the danger isn't all over yet.
Even though they weren't at full strength, the visitors boasted the likes of Messi, Aguero, Angel di Maria, Nicolas Otamendi, Javier Mascherano and Sergio Romero in their starting line-up, a grand total of six regulars of the team. Yet, the struggles were worrying.
Argentina's star-studded attack had a hard time in getting a whiff of the net, as some diligent defending and fine goalkeeping denied them time and again. The unusual midfield pivot of Giovani Lo Celso, Matias Kranevitter and Enzo Perez may need more time to develop an understanding as Sampaoli's experimental set-up stuttered to keep the creative juices flowing.
Though Argentina weren't as bad as they've been on several occasions this year during the qualifiers, there were expectations of a rebuild since clinching the World Cup that supposedly breathed a new life into them. However, they remain an unfinished article.
#2 Igor Akinfeev rises to the occasion
On an otherwise no-great-shakes evening for the hosts, Igor Akinfeev stood out. The custodian kept them in the game until the final few minutes in what was one of his career-best performance.
The 31-year old first kept out an effort by Di Maria in the first real move by the visitors, but truly set the tone for a fantastic evening with a stunning one-handed save to deny Aguero from 20 yards out early in the first half, as Argentina fired a slew of shots to threaten the home team.
Akinfeev was once again called into action by Aguero at the stroke of half-time and once again, the CSKA Moscow custodian made no mistake as Russia went into the break level with Argentina courtesy solely of their No.1.
Messi got the better of him post the interval with a lovely chip, only for a watchful Konstantin Rausch to clear the line. However, Akinfeev soon regained his footing as he parried Aguero's effort over the bar in another lethal move by the Latin Americans.
Some misfortune towards the end of the game aside, Akinfeev dispatched a goalkeeping masterclass of the highest order, something that would even have Iker Casillas or Gianluigi Buffon proud.
#3 Sergio Aguero manages to take his chance
Despite being in and out of Pep Guardiola's set-up of Manchester City for the new season, Argentinian ace Sergio Aguero has impressed whenever called upon. With eight goals in eight appearances in the Premier League, the former Atletico Madrid striker also became the club's all-time leading goalscorer, etching his name in the City folklore in gold.
His impressive scoring spree today seeped into his international excursions as Aguero netted for the first time for his national side since June 2016, drawing level with the legendary Diego Maradona on 34 international goals for La Albiceleste.
As the game headed into the final five minutes, Cristian Pavon latched on to Messi's pass and cut back for an on-rushing Aguero, who saw his initial effort blocked, but headed home in the follow-up to spare Argentina the blushes.
Sampaoli's faith in Aguero over Juventus star Gonzalo Higuain, who was dropped from the squad altogether, paid off. His persistence was clear by the fact that the former Sevilla gaffer refrained from substituting him, allowing him to stay on the field for the whole 90 minutes.
In the end, that persistence yielded dividends as Aguero today, saved Argentina's beacon. But more importantly, also sounded the death knell for Higuain, for whom more time on the sidelines await.
#4 More's expected from Russia as the hosts
Since the conclusion of the Euro 2016 last year, Russia have participated in a spate of international friendlies as well as the all-important Confederations Cup earlier this year. And to sum up their rehearsals for the finals, it's been erratic to say the least.
Whilst they are capable enough to hold a belligerent Belgium to a 3-3 draw at home, Russia have also shown the tendency to get pegged back against the likes of Ivory Coast and Iran. Such is the scale of the crests and troughs they've been through since the past year.
Today against Argentina, Stanislav Cherchesov's side were left all over the place like pieces of paper crumbs as the mighty visitors attacked at full pelt. It was only for Igor Akinfeev that Russia kept themselves alive so far into the match. But as the hosts of the 2018 World Cup, the expectations are quite more than what it is usually.
The group stage exit at the Confederations Cup in June has given a gist of what its going to be like in the finals next year and Russia hope to do better in eight months time. Else, watch the ignominy of joining South Africa as the only two host countries ever to have been knocked out in the group stages of the World Cup.
#5 The World Cup final venue opens with a whimper
In a refurbished Luzhniki stadium in the Russian capital of Moscow, Russia and Argentina inaugurated the World Cup final venue in a way that would leave many with a sour taste. This was supposed to be a clash where either the latter would light up the thronging arena with a goal-fest, or watch the FIFA 2018 hosts give their more glamorous counterparts a hard time, none of which happened and left the fans disappointed.
The Luzhniki stadium did not play hosts to any of the Confederations Cup game earlier this year, owing to the reparatory works under process. Having only completed the same, this was the first game to be held in the Moscow-based stadium, the same place where next year's mega event would come to a conclusion. And the inauguration, albeit only a friendly, was hardly memorable.
Argentina glimpsed their lethal attacking unit with some close calls in the first half, but the nerve-edging moments were few and far between. Russia being the underdogs here, completely justified their status with a meek show in which only the goalkeeping personnel stood out. The rest were just comce comca.
The visitors' superior quality eventually made the difference and also ensuring that the game got a deservedly fitting end, rather than a dour and mundane draw.
