Julian Alvarez might not score many easier goals than his strike for Argentina on Tuesday night. He will certainly score better goals and in bigger games. He couldn't have timed this close-range finish any better, however.
Starting for Argentina on the right-wing ahead of Lionel Messi, in their final warm-up game before the World Cup, Alvarez had a point to prove after a bright cameo in their win over Honduras last week. Not only was there a place in Qatar to win, but Alvarez could have benefitted from a statement performance to take back to Manchester City.
On a night where Erling Haaland failed to score or assist in a game for the first time this season, Alvarez did his best Haaland impression for Argentina with an impressive performance.
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Argentina were expected to beat Jamaica, of course, but the manner of their first goal would have been hard for any side to defend. It looked remarkably similar to the type of goal City have scored for fun under Guardiola, and it was Alvarez with the crucial finish in the six-yard box from a clever cut-back.
Keeping possession smartly, Argentina moved the ball from right to left, unafraid to go back to their defenders, with all outfield players involved in the slick 26-pass move. This wasn't pointless possession football, but passing and moving to drag Jamaican defenders out of position, and waiting for the moment to make the right pass forward.
As it happened, it was former City defender Nicolas Otamendi to trigger the switch from keeping the ball to attacking the defence, as he split the lines and set Argentina on their way. When the ball was played into Lautaro Martinez's feet on the edge of the area, he dropped his shoulder, side-stepped his defender, and got to the byline to cross for a waiting Alvarez to convert from six yards.
Alvarez started the move by coming deep and laying off the ball, and didn't see it again until he scored. He may not have been involved in the build-up, instead staying in the area, but he was alive and waiting to score and set his country on their way. It was exactly the kind of goal Haaland has scored for fun at City since his arrival, and the kind of goal that will please City coaches who will have to rely on him to step in for Haaland at points this season.
Speaking after the game, Alvarez refused to tempt fate regarding a World Cup place, saying: "I am very happy and very excited [but] there is still time for the coach to choose the 26 players. You have to work hard because you don't know what can happen."
And it seems Alvarez's form for Argentina - he now has two goals in 11 caps - can be attributed in part to working with Messi. Just like he is behind a world-class forward at City, Alvarez has the small task of displacing Messi for international appearances, although the pair shared 24 minutes at the end of the Jamaica game, with Messi scoring twice in the final stages.
Competing with Messi is no bad thing, according to Alvarez, who said: "Every day you learn something new, from your teammates, from your coaches... I work every day to keep progressing. There are no words to say what Messi is... Playing for five or 10 minutes he does incredible things and scores the difference.”
Pep Guardiola will be more than happy to see Alvarez learning from Messi, and he will be delighted to see his second-choice striker on the scoresheet. The fact that the goal was directly out of the new-era City playbook sends a message to Haaland that Alvarez is quickly learning his tricks, and will be ready to take advantage of any game-time he gets before the World Cup.
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