Argentina s 6-1 defeat to Spain in Tuesday s international friendly equalled the country s heaviest loss on a miserable night for Jorge Sampaoli s side in Madrid.
Nicolas Otamendi s goal six minutes before half-time looked to have put Argentina back in contention after early Spain strikes from Diego Costa and Isco but the South Americans – without five-time Ballon d Or winner and captain Lionel Messi – collapsed in the second half.
On a night when Javier Mascherano equalled Javier Zanetti s Argentina caps record of 142, Sampaoli s men were found woefully short all over the field and Isco grabbed his second goal seven minutes into the second half, with Thiago Alcantara making it 4-1 moments later.
The scoreline was made emphatic inside two minutes when substit…
Ahead of Sunday s fourth-round clash with MK Dons, interim Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink sees the FA Cup as a way of salvaging a hugely underwhelming campaign for the Premier League champions.
Hiddink who lifted the FA Cup during his previous interim stint at Stamford Bridge in 2009 takes his improving Chelsea side to Milton Keynes this weekend boasting an unbeaten record since succeeding Jose Mourinho in December.
That eight-match run includes a 2-0 third-round victory against League One Scunthorpe United, with Karl Robinson s Championship strugglers next to try and cause an upset.
Despite a gradual improvement, Chelsea sit 13th in the Premier League, leaving the FA Cup and Champions League as their only hopes of silverware this term.
Asked whethe…