Messi scores 100th intl goal in Curacao rout
- Santiago del Estero (Argentina): Argentina captain Lionel Messi on Tuesday scored his 100th international goal for the reigning world champions in a lowkey friendly against Curacao. Seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi opened the scoring in the friendly against the Caribbean Island minnows on 20 minutes in Santiago del Estero.
- The 35-year-old soon added another just after the half-hour mark to make it 3-0, and then completed his hat-trick on 37 minutes with the fifth as Argentina toyed with their overmatched opponents.
- Messi came into the game not just as his country's all-time record goal scorer, but with more goals than the next two top marksmen -Gabriel Batista on 56 and Sergio Aguero with 41 - put together. This was Argentina's second match since winning the World Cup in dramatic style against France in Qatar in December- triumphing 4-2 on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw-and it was always going to be about Messi reaching 100 goals.
- He had come up short on Thursday last week when he notched his 99th goal for the Albiceleste as Argentina toiled in their homecoming celebration match against Panama. The Central Americans had held out until the 78th minute before 21-year-old MLS sensation Thiago Almada broke their resistance. Messi then scored direct from a free- kick a minute from time in front of 83,000 delirious fans in Buenos Aires.
- Curacao could only hold out for 20 minutes before Messi took a pass from Giovanni Lo Celso, cut inside his marker onto his weaker right foot and fired a low shot into the bottom corner.