Lionel Messi as soon as once more emerged because the saviour having scored the successful purpose for Argentina within the 78th minute in opposition to Ecuador in a 2026 World Cup qualifying fixture on the Estadio Mas Monumental in Buenos Aires. With this, Messi equalled Uruguay striker Luis Suarez’s document of most variety of targets in South America’s World Cup qualifiers, as per stats obtained from Transfermarkt. The joint all-time high scorers within the South American qualifying event —Messi and Suarez— have 29 targets every underneath their belt. With Suarez not being part of Uruguay squad for this spherical of qualifiers, Messi has an opportunity of surpassing his former Barcelona teammate.
“It’s a pleasure for me that we are both there. Given what the qualifiers mean for us in South American football, it’s a very nice thing for both of us,” Messi was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters.
Messi scored an outrageous free-kick against Ecuador on his 176th international cap for Argentina. Messi, who now has 104 international goals to his name, struck the ball over the wall right into the top-left corner of the net to earn a much-needed victory for La Albiceleste. But the job is not done yet for the reigning World Cup winners. In his second World Cup qualifying encounter, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner will be up against Bolivia next week.
“We performed in opposition to an excellent crew, with good gamers and bodily robust. Everyone all the time needs to beat Argentina and much more so now that we’re the world champions. We cannot chill out, now we have to enhance on what we have been doing. The goal is to qualify for the World Cup once more. We actually loved what we did however now we have to look forward,” Messi informed the reporters.
Messi has been in scintillating kind since becoming a member of the Major League Soccer (MLS) facet Inter Miami earlier this summer season. He gained the Golden Boot award having scored 10 targets in seven Leagues Cup video games for Inter Miami. His spectacular present guided the Herons to the Leagues Cup title as nicely. Inter Miami have been unbeaten for the reason that Argentine nice made his debut for them in opposition to Cruz Azul in July. The 36-year-old has bagged 12 targets throughout all competitions for each his membership and nation since arriving within the United States.
In different World Cup qualifying fixtures, Paraguay and 10-man Peru performed out a goalless draw. Colombia, alternatively, earned an important 1-0 win in opposition to Venezuela. Forward Rafael Santos Borre netted the solitary purpose of the sport within the forty sixth minute to clinch a win for Colombia.
Source web site: www.hindustantimes.com
