Argentina vs Australia Highlights: Messi, Pezzella goals ensure 2-0 win for Albiceleste

Argentina sees out the rest of the time to secure a 2-0 win.

It wasn’t as easy expected as Australia made it work hard for the victory.

Lionel Messi opened the scoring with a trademark left-footed curler in the early minutes. Pezzerella added the second later in the second half to seal the win.

Australia did most things right, except for its finishing. Not a bad performance against the World Champions.

Garnacho is released by an outside-of-the-boot through ball by Paredes. He finds his way into the box, but can’t find the right pass to threaten a third goal.

Australia wins a corner down right but can’t make Martinez work with a shot.

Australia has lost its zing in the last few minutes of the game. The Socceroos try to pass their way back into the game, but is unable to bypass the Argentinian midfield.

Messi somehow gets himself and the ball through three Australian markers and finds Garncacho on the left wing. The United winger though can’t get a shot on target.

A small disrpution in play as the referee replaces a broken football.

Garnacho is introduced. The Manchester United attacker will be looking to impress on his international debut.

The game has died down a little after Argetina’s second goal.

Argentina is now playing with some swagger. Cuts through the Aussie defence with ease. Alvarez with the eventual shot and Ryan had to stretch to his limit to divert it away.

Messi wins a freekick from outside the box. He goes for the top corner and it nicks off the wall and flies narrowly wide.

Messi and De Paul works a corner short. The latter is the one who to swing it in and Pezzella is there to head it in. ARGENTINA LEADS 2-0.

Messi dashes past a couple of Australian midfielders, before pushing the ball to Acuna, who threads it through to Alvarez.

Souttar is there to marshal the ball out of play, to prevent any sort of danger.

Alvarez comes in for Mac Allister.

Australia moves the ball forward with pace, putting pressure on Argentina. The Aussies have controlled the game in the second half and is looking good for a goal.

Australia wins a corner down the left. They try to play it short, but is caught offside. A waste of a set piece.

Australia keep up the pressure and wins another corner, this time down the right.

A couple of rash fouls from both sides. The referee lets the game roll and things cool down soon enough. Argentina tries to put pressure on Australia with some long balls from Emi Martinez. But Souttar stays strong to prevent that move.

Argentina wins the ball and moves it up field. Gonzalez outpaces his marker. Atkinson slides in and wins a yellow card for his effort.

Australia defends deep and prevents Argentina from having a shot on goal from the set piece. Argentina comes again and Ryan has to make a couple of saves to keep it down to 1-0.

Pezella comes in for Otamendi. Australia kicks the half off.

Australia gifts Messi with a chance at goal. A weak back pass is intercepted by the Inter Miami player. But he takes an extra touch, which allows the Aussie defence to regroup.

And it is half time. Argentina leads thanks to a routine left-footed curler from Messi.

Australia will be happy with how it has fought back into the game. But they need to do just a bit more to turn this score around.

Australia shuffles the ball across the pitch with ease. But Argentina has set itself up compactly, allowing now space for the Aussies to work through.

Messi threads a through ball for Di Maria. Ryan comes flying out to smother the ball.

Argentina comes back again. De Paul chips a ball in for Messi and he goes for a right-footed chip shot, but slightly overhits as it goes flying above Ryan’s goal post.

Australia has been outplaying Argentina in the last phase of the game. Their poor finishing is the only reason why they are trailing in the game.

Gonzalez goes down in the box, clutching his face, appealing for a penalty. The referee waves play on.

Incredible save from Emi Martinez

Cross from the left and Leckie gets his head on it. Flicks it goal bound and Emi flings himself to the left to poke it on to the goal post and is lucky to get the ball back.

Messi links up with Mac Allister and releases Molina down the left. The wing back wins a corner down the left. Argentina chooses to recycle possession rather than pump the ball into the box.

Australia growing into the game. Some slick passing down the left hand side. A cross is lofted into the box, but there is no one going in for it.

The fans are cheering for every touch Messi is taking. They are eager for more from the number 10.

Australia gets a chance to break free. But the cross from the right is overhit. That was their chance to get back into this game.

Australia yet to trouble Emi Martinez. The Socceroos have moved the ball efficiently, but has struggled to put the ball through the Argentinian lines.

Messi plays a one-two with Mac Allister, but is instantly brought down to the ground by a bunch of Aussie defenders.

Argentina is cutting through the Aussies with ease. Messi is floating around the pitch. Di Maria slices the opposition defence with a delicate through ball. Messi runs on to it and tries to slam it in with his right foot. Crashes in to the side netting. It is looking all too ominous for the Aussies.

A first real spell on the ball for Australia. They move the ball around with ease, but can’t get the ball to progress into the South American side’s territory.

The best start Argentina and its fans could have hoped of. It has controlled the ball effortlessly and that magical left boot of Messi has given them a lead in the early minutes.

Argentina keeps on coming with the desire for another goal.

It didn’t take too long. Messi gets the ball outside the box and he takes a touch before curling it into the top corner. It is 1-0 for Argentina already.

Lionel Messi confirmed earlier this week that he “doesn’t think” he will play at another World Cup in an interview with Chinese media, after the 35-year-old led Argentina to victory at last year’s tournament in Qatar.

“I have said several times before that I don’t think so, that that (2022) was my last World Cup,” he said when asked by China’s Titan Sports in a video interview if he might feature at the 2026 tournament in North America.

Lionel Messi and his World Cup-winning Argentina teammates are expected to draw almost 70,000 fans to the Beijing Worker’s Stadium for an exhibition game against Australia.

With tickets starting at around $80 for Thursday’s game, local supporters are excited to see Messi and continue the World Cup celebrations. Fans have flocked to all opportunities to see the Argentine star since the team arrived in China, with large crowds angling for photographs and chanting his name.

AP

Argentina: Martinez; Montiel, Otamendi, Romero, Acuna; De Paul, Fernandez, Mac Allister; Messi, Simeone, Garnacho

Australia: Ryan; Atkinson, Souttar, Rowles, King; McGree, Metcalfe, Hrustic; Leckie, Maclaren, Borrello

Argentina vs Australia will be live streamed in VUSport app.

The match will kick off at 5:30 PM IST at the Workers Stadium in Beijing.

Australia coach Graham Arnold on Wednesday that he has maximum respect for Lionel Messi but will do everything he can to stop him when his side meet Argentina in a Beijing friendly.

The two sides clash in the Chinese capital on Thursday in a re-run of their last-16 clash at the World Cup, where skipper Messi scored and terrorised the Socceroos in a 2-1 win.

Messi and Argentina went on to win the World Cup.

“Regarding Lionel Messi, how could you not respect someone who’s done what he’s done in football?” Australia coach Graham Arnold told reporters at the 68,000-capacity Workers’ Stadium.

Tickets for Thursday’s game have sold out rapidly despite soaring prices, with Chinese fans desperate to see Messi in the flesh.

Arnold, who said Australia had “learned lessons” from their loss to Argentina in Qatar last winter, has taken a young squad to China after numerous players were ruled out with injury.

“We have a younger squad of players here, up-and-coming players who we’re looking at over the next four years to (see if we) can qualify for the next World Cup,” he said.