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…