September 27, 2022, 10:51 PM
September 27, 2022, 10:51 PM
The soccer team of Argentina thrashed Jamaica 3-0 with a brace from star Lionel Messi, in a friendly match in preparation for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar played this Tuesday at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.
Julián Álvarez, at 12 minutes, opened the account for the Argentine team in a match in which Messi was not a starter, although the PSG star entered in the second half and scored a spectacular double (86 and 89), and with just over half an hour it was enough to be the great figure of the night.
With the victory over the Reggae Boyz, AArgentina extended its undefeated from mid-2019 to 35 games (24 wins and 11 draws), while Messi had the pleasure of reaching 100 wins as a player for the blue and white team.
– Alvarez opens the account –
The albiceleste team did not take long in imposing conditions, despite the temporary loss of Messi, confined at the last minute to the substitute bench due to a flu condition, and other changes ordered by coach Lionel Scaloni.
La Albiceleste soon caught the attention of the fledgling Jamaican team with a crossed left-footed shot from ‘Fideo’ Di María that he demanded from goalkeeper Blake, in a start in which the Juventus winger was associated with Montiel on the right lane.
But the goal would come soon, and from the other lane, when Tagliafico opened internal game for Lautaro Martínezwho hooked inside the area and sent a cross back that Julián Álvarez sent with a low touch to the net.
Beyond offering display and enthusiasm, Jamaica could not have the ball for a long time, and suffered from the projections by the sides, and again it was close to increasing Argentina in another overflow by Álvarez that took Lo Celsobut his cross shot came millimeters from the left corner.
Lo Celso tried again with a left foot from medium distance just high, and about half an hour later Guido Rodríguez finished off high from a corner kick, on other occasions that the Albiceleste had, against an enthusiastic opponent, but lacking in depth.
The stadium lit up with the entrance of Messi for Lautaro, and a few minutes later a fanatic invaded the field of play who was quickly evicted, before he could contact the Argentine captain.
After losing a ball that led to a dangerous Jamaican counterattack, Messi recovered with a good combination with Julián Álvarez, who ended with a close shot to the near post, who found a good response from the goalkeeper to avoid the captain’s goal.
The stellar PSG player warmed up his engines in the last minutes, in which he ended up sentencing the Argentine success with two goals, the first with a left foot from the edge of the box, to put the ball into Blake’s left corner, and then with a free kick from the crescent, with a touch to the right top corner.
Beyond some slight downturn in a section of the second half due to the numerous changes, Argentina had no problems to add another success in the preparation, with some interesting variants, but always affirmed in the magic of Messi, decisive in just a while, with two goals to enlarge his account as the top Argentinian historical scorer.
The Argentine star generated so much attraction that the meeting had to be interrupted three times by the fans who invaded the field to get a hug or a signature from Messi, almost a custom in every international match that has him as the protagonist, and once again, the albiceleste captain did not disappoint and shone.
