“Nicolás Otamendi heads home from a corner, assisted by Messi, to open the scoring just after the restart.”
Pivotal“Fresh off the bench, Nico Paz doubles Argentina's lead within a minute of coming on, finishing off another Messi assist after the Argentine captain's own shot was saved.”
Pivotal“Lionel Messi converts from the penalty spot to put Argentina 3-0 up and seal the result beyond any doubt.”
Argentina
Benin
Outstanding performance
Argentina•AttackerArgentina controlled this one from the opening whistle, racking up 65% possession and 19 shots to Benin's 7 as the gulf in class showed clearly. The breakthrough came just before halftime when Otamendi headed home from a corner, assisted by Messi, and the floodgates opened in the second half. Substitute Nico Paz needed just one minute on the pitch to double the lead, latching onto another Messi delivery, before Messi himself stepped up to convert a penalty and put the game beyond doubt. Benin's goalkeeper made 8 saves to keep the scoreline respectable, but with only 2 shots on target all night, there was never a realistic path back for the visitors.
How entertaining was this match?
Attidjikou Samadou comes on for Hassane Imourane.
Sahid Ngobi replaces Rodolfo Aloko.
Corner awarded.
Lionel Andres Messi takes a left-footed shot, but it's saved.
Leonel Flores takes a left-footed shot, but it's saved.
Corner awarded.
Offside.
Offside.
Franco Mastantuono takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Leonel Flores takes a right-footed shot, but it is saved.
Franco Mastantuono comes on for Cristian Gabriel Romero.
Valentin Barco replaces Alexis Mac Allister.
Leonel Flores comes on for Lautaro Javier Martinez.
Giovani Lo Celso comes on for Enzo Fernandez.
On comes Saturin Allagbe, off goes Marcel Dandjinou.
On for Charlie Azongnitode, off goes Tamimou Ouorou.
Jodel Dossou is on, and Tosin Aiyegun is off.
Lionel Andres Messi takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Shot! Lionel Andres Messi scores with a left-footed shot.
Goal in the penalty shootout! Lionel Andres Messi scores. The match score is 3-0.
Corner awarded.
Junior Olugbade is substituted off for Yamirou Ouorou.
Matteo Ahlinvi comes on for Junior Olaitan.
Nicolas Paz Martinez scores with a left-footed shot.
assist: Lionel Messi
Goal! Nicolas Paz Martinez scores to make it 2-0, assisted by Lionel Andres Messi.
Lionel Andres Messi takes a left-footed shot, but it's saved.
Corner awarded.
Nicolas Paz Martinez comes on for Rodrigo De Paul.
Nicolas Gonzalez is on, and Julian Alvarez is off.
Offside.
Mohamed TijaniYellow CardYellow card shown to Mohamed Tijani.
Enzo Fernandez's header is blocked off the line.
Lisandro Martinez comes on for Nicolas Hernan Gonzalo Otamendi.
Facundo Medina comes on for Nicolas Tagliafico.
Nicolas Hernan Gonzalo Otamendi scores with a right-footed shot.
assist: Lionel Messi
Goal! Nicolas Hernan Gonzalo Otamendi scores to make it 1-0, assisted by Lionel Andres Messi.
Corner awarded.
Tamimou Ouorou takes a right-footed shot, but it misses the target.
Yamirou Ouorou takes a left-footed shot, but it is saved.
The first half ends with a score of 0-0.
Nicolas Hernan Gonzalo Otamendi receives a yellow card.
Julian Alvarez takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
Corner awarded.
Junior Olaitan takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
Offside.
Lionel Andres Messi took a left-footed shot but missed.
Corner awarded.
Lautaro Javier Martinez takes a shot with his head, but it's blocked.
Lionel Andres Messi takes a left-footed shot, but it is saved.
Lionel Andres Messi takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Junior Olaitan takes a shot with his right foot but misses.
Tosin Aiyegun attempts a header but misses the shot.
Corner awarded.
Rodrigo De Paul takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Offside.
Enzo Fernandez takes a right-footed shot, but it is saved.
Lionel Andres Messi takes a left-footed shot, but it's saved.
Junior Olaitan takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Yohan Roche takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Corner awarded.
Corner awarded.
Kick-off! The referee is Fernando Andre Vejar Diaz.
Lionel Messi is set to make his farewell appearance for Argentina as the world champions host Benin at the Estadio Monumental in a historic first-ever meeting between the two nations. With Argentina in red-hot form after back-to-back routs of Bolivia and Burkina Faso, expect an emotional night in Buenos Aires built around one last Messi masterclass.
