Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez give Argentina 4-1 win over Guatemala in pre-Copa friendly
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Argentina forward Lionel Messi shoots the ball against Guatemala in the first half at Commanders Field.
PHOTO: REUTERS
WASHINGTON – Argentina want to “keep winning titles” as doubles from Lionel Messi and Lautaro Martinez earned a 4-1 victory against Guatemala in their final Copa America warm-up in Maryland on June 14.
Guatemala grabbed a shock early lead at Commanders Field in Landover with their first-ever strike against the World Cup winners, courtesy of Lisandro Martinez’s own goal just four minutes into the game.
But Messi equalised eight minutes later with his 107th international goal, as goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen cleared the ball straight into the path of the Argentina captain, who scored into an empty net.
Martinez, this season's Serie A top scorer, put the team ahead with a penalty kick in the 39th minute before netting his second from a Messi pass after the break.
“We are aiming for the (Copa) title, we are fighting for everything,” he told TyC Sports.
“We said it when the Copa America ended in 2021 and when the World Cup ended, we will try to prepare ourselves to start the Copa America in the best possible way and hopefully it will be all joy.”
The 36-year-old Messi got his double in the 77th minute after a superb pass from substitute Angel di Maria to seal the win for the Copa America reigning champions.
The tournament runs from June 20 to July 14 in the United States. Lionel Scaloni's side kick off their Group A campaign against Canada on the opening day before facing Chile on June 25 and Peru four days later.
“We’re going to keep trying to do our best, we still want to keep winning titles,” Messi said. “It will be harder and harder, the games are getting tougher, winning (the Copa) again is hard, but we will try again.”
Scaloni, meanwhile, confirmed that talented Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho, who was on the bench for this game, will be in the squad for the Copa.
“I have them (the confirmed team) but I haven’t communicated it to them yet. I’m going to tell them first,” he said.
“You have to be very careful, it’s not nice to leave a player out. The game didn’t happen for him to come in, but Garnacho is going to be there, if that’s the question.”
On the win, he added: “The goals and the attitude were good things. But we were erratic with the passes and we could be in bad shape for the counter-attacks.
“In the first 25 minutes we were not fine. Guatemala was a great rival, we are the ones who have the difficulty. It helps us to analyse what is coming.” REUTERS, AFP
