Argentina secured a two-zero victory over Angola in a friendly match, with goals from Lautaro Martinez in the 43rd minute and Lionel Messi in the 82nd minute.
Argentina began the match with a slower pace compared to their previous outings. Angola, on the other hand, energized their supporters by applying early pressure in midfield. Yet, as time wore on, the reigning World Cup champions steadily asserted their dominance, creating numerous scoring opportunities.
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Messi (center) dribbles during the Angola 0-2 Argentina friendly in Luanda, Angola on the evening of 14/11. Photo: *AFA*. |
In the 21st minute, Messi nearly opened the scoring. The Argentina captain broke free after a through ball from Lautaro Martinez but was denied by goalkeeper Hugo Marques. 18 minutes later, Messi squandered another golden opportunity. Nico Gonzalez delivered a precise backward pass from the left flank, but Argentina's top scorer shot over the bar.
Despite missing two chances, Messi remained a crucial figure in Argentina's play. In the 43rd minute, he showcased his class with an assist inside the penalty area. After receiving the ball, Lautaro Martinez struck a powerful low shot into the near corner, beating Marques.
Angola started the second half with renewed vigor but struggled to breach Argentina's defense. The disparity in class between them and the reigning World Cup champions was too significant for the 89th-ranked FIFA team to pull off an upset.
Meanwhile, Argentina maintained a deliberate pace, focusing on ball control and quick transitions. In the 82nd minute, Messi sealed the two-zero victory. Capitalizing on a poor clearance by a home defender, Lautaro Martinez provided an assist inside the box for the captain to strike into the far corner.
Messi's goal marked his 115th for Argentina, simultaneously elevating his career tally to 895 goals. Only Cristiano Ronaldo surpasses him with 953 goals. Messi also increased his assist count to 401, trailing only Ferenc Puskas' record of 404.
This two-zero victory against hosts Angola was Argentina's sole friendly match in November. Coach Lionel Scaloni used the opportunity to test several players: defender Kevin Mac Allister (brother of midfielder Alexis Mac Allister), midfielder Maximo Perrone, and forwards Jose Manuel Lopez, Joanquin Panichelli, and Gianluca Prestiani. Notably, Lopez and Panichelli are currently in good form at their respective clubs, Palmeiras (Brazil) and Strasbourg (France).
Thanh Quy
