Messi scores in Argentina's 3-0 World Cup warm-up win over Iceland; Iraq loses to Venezuela
Argentina defeated Iceland 3-0 in a World Cup warm-up match in Alabama, with Lionel Messi coming off the bench to score a penalty in the 70th minute. Messi, recovering from a hamstring injury, set up the penalty with a through-ball and is on track to appear in his sixth World Cup alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. In related World Cup preparations, Iraq lost 2-0 to Venezuela in their final friendly before the tournament.
Argentina completed their World Cup preparations with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Iceland in Auburn, Alabama, on Tuesday. Lionel Messi, 38, entered the match in the 70th minute after missing Argentina's previous friendly against Honduras due to left hamstring soreness. Upon entering, Messi immediately made an impact, setting up a penalty kick with a through-ball to Lautaro Martinez, then converting the spot kick himself—his 117th international goal. Valentin Barco and Thiago Almada also scored for Argentina, who fielded an experimental lineup with several key players rested. Messi's appearance marks his continued recovery and confirms his World Cup status, positioning him to set a record by appearing in his sixth career World Cup. Separately, Iraq suffered a setback in their final warm-up, losing 2-0 to Venezuela in Illinois, with midfielder Cristian Casseres scoring twice for the South Americans.
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- Al JazeeraLeft
Messi comes off the bench to score in Argentina’s final World Cup warm-up
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