Argentina will most likely make a few changes in their starting eleven when they face Iran in Group F on Saturday afternoon. Messi and company clinched a hard-fought 2-1 success over Bosnia Herzegovina last Sunday and Lionel Messi scored the decisive goal. Coach Alejandro Sabella decided to change the formation at half time, he switched from the initial 3-5-2 set up to a more attacking 4-3-3 and the move was a winning one. That said, he will probably choose to start with that formation and with Fernando Gago and Gonzalo Higuain for the next match.
Iran recorded a goalless draw against Nigeria in their opening World Cup fixture, not a bad result but they will have to get points against both Argentina and Bosnia to qualify. Coach Carlos Queiroz will probably field the same team against Argentina, trying to contain Messi and the other attacking threats.
The probable starting line-ups:
Argentina: Romero – Zabaleta, Rojo, Garay, Fernandez – Gago, Mascherano, Di Maria – Higuain, Aguero, Messi
Iran: Haghighi – Montazeri, Pooladi, Hosseini, Sadeqi – Nekounam, Heydari, Teymourian, Hajsafi, Dejagah – Ghoochanneijhad
My prediction: Argentina to win 3-0
Here are the odds for the match at Bet365:
Argentina win – 1/8
Draw – 9/1
Iran win – 25/1