GUETEMALA CITY: Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick to help a second-string Argentina record an easy 4-0 away win over Guatemala in a friendly and overtake Diego Maradona’s international goals tally.
Messi, who came on as a substitute in recent World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Ecuador, was given a place in the starting line-up and gave Argentina a 15th minute lead with a left-foot shot from outside the penalty area.
Messi, scoring his third hat-trick for his country, provided the cross for Augusto Fernandez to head in the second in the 35th minute before converting a penalty himself four minutes later.
He completed his hat-trick four minutes after halftime when Ezequiel Lavezzi produced a low cross from the right and he casually side-footed the ball in from 12 metres after being left completely unmarked.
Apart from Messi, coach Alejandro Sabella fielded a largely experimental line-up for yesterday evening’s match in Guatemala City’s Mateo Flores Stadium. REUTERS
