Lionel Messi scored two first-half goals to lead Argentina to a 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Peru on Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Messi opened the scoring for Argentina in the 32nd minute and added a second goal 10 minutes later. A potential third goal in the 57th minute was overturned after he was found to be offside by VAR review.
- Messi now has 31 career goals in World Cup qualifying, which is a CONMEBOL record.
- This was Messi’s first start in a match since Sept. 20.
Messi’s first-half performance
To no one’s surprise, Messi hasn’t done much running in this first half against Peru. But he has been intelligent with his runs, arriving inside the Peruvian penalty area to calmly score two goals. For his first, Messi initiated an Argentina counter attack and then finished a Nico Gonzalez cross with an impressive one-time strike.
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It was Messi’s second-ever goal against Peru in nine games. Messi has looked much better tonight since suffering a hamstring injury in Argentina’s 1-0 win over Ecuador on Sept. 7. Messi’s second goal was another left-footed finish that he placed perfectly to the goalkeeper’s right. — Felipe Cardenas, international soccer writer
What’s next for Argentina?
Peru was no match for an Argentina side that continues to play with the confidence of a world champion. They’re deep, they’re selfless and they have Messi. The 36-year-old is joint top scorer in CONMEBOL qualifying with three goals from four matches. Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has not lost a World Cup qualifier since taking over in 2018.
Argentina are top of the standings with 12 points after four matches. They’ll host Uruguay on Nov. 16 and then travel to the Estadio Maracaná to face arch-rivals Brazil five days later. — Cardenas
Messi’s goals
🔥 ¡GOLAZO DE LIONEL MESSI!
Sensacional definición del '10' y Argentina gana en Lima#Argentina
Mira el partido EN VIVO vía PPVs 👉 https://t.co/sfquImNSpD#EliminatoriasSudamericanas2026 pic.twitter.com/ZkulfHD0QJ
— Fanatiz (@Fanatiztv) October 18, 2023
🔥 ¡OTRO GOLAZO DE LEO MESSI!
Lo hizo de nuevo. El crack definió de forma increíble y gana 2-0 en Lima#Argentina
Mira el partido EN VIVO vía PPVs 👉 https://t.co/sfquImNSpD#EliminatoriasSudamericanas2026 pic.twitter.com/vxWRbzFWi2
— Fanatiz (@Fanatiztv) October 18, 2023
Required reading
- Lionel Messi: The life and times of the Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami and Argentina legend
- Lionel Messi: The evolution of the greatest footballer of all time
(Photo: Ernesto Benavides / AFP via Getty Images)