[ad_1]
Chicago: Lionel Messi scored twice and assisted on another goal in his first international start since November and Argentina outclassed Guatemala 4-1 to complete its 2024 Copa America preparations. Messi went the full 90 minutes for manager Lionel Scaloni after playing 35 off the bench in a 1-0 win over fellow Copa America contenders Ecuador on Sunday in Chicago.
He previously missed a pair of international friendlies in March with a hamstring issue that has also contributed to his half-dozen absences for Inter Miami in MLS play.
But his sharp performance Friday — in which he also struck the woodwork with a free kick and contributed to a sequence leading to a penalty kick goal — should ease Argentine concerns ahead of next Thursday’s group play opener against Canada in Atlanta.
Lautaro Martinez also scored twice for the defending Copa America and World Cup champions against a Guatemala side that sits 108th in FIFA’s world rankings. That included Argentina’s goal from the penalty spot, a role Messi typically assumes during tournament play.
[ad_2]
