WATCH Argentina vs. El Salvador on CBS Sports Golazo Network: Live stream online, TV channel, start time, odds

Without Lionel Messi, Lionel Scaloni will have a chance to test his team without their talisman as they look to get ready for the Copa America this summer. With Lautaro Martinez and Paulo Dybala in form, Argentina will have no shortage of attackers, while the defense led by Cristian Romero and Emi Martinez gives La Albiceleste a base to build off of. Angel Di Maria will still play an important part in the squad providing a creative presence to knit things together as he has for much of the last 15 years.

Here’s our storylines, how you can watch the match and more:

How to watch and odds

• Date: Friday, March 22 | Time: 8 p.m. ET
• Location: Lincoln Financial Field — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 
• Live stream: CBS Sports Golazo Network
• Odds: Argentina -5000; Draw +1100; El Salvador +4500

Where is Messi?

Despite being named in the squad for these friendlies, Messi had to pull out of international duty due to a hamstring injury. After being withdrawn during Inter Miami’s Concacaf Champions Cup match against Nashville SC, Messi proceeded to miss the next match for the Herons before now being ruled out of Argentina’s friendlies against El Salvador and Costa Rica. Messi will finally have a chance to rest due to missing these games, but it remains to be seen if it will be enough.

Messi already missed critical matches down the stretch for the Herons last season and Tata Martino won’t want that to happen again. While he’s back in light training for Miami, he won’t be available for their next match against New York Red Bulls as he recovers. A critical player for club and country, all eyes will be on how Messi deals with these leg injuries.

Prediction

Despite missing Messi, Argentina will have no issues dispatching El Salvador as Lautaro and Dybala are among the most in form strikers in the world Pick: Argentina 4, El Salvador 0