Football: Messi strikes to down Albania

BUENOS AIRES: Lionel Messi laid on two goals and scored one in between as Argentina romped to a 4-0 win over Albania at the Monumental in their last warm-up for next month’s Copa America. Striker Ezequiel Lavezzi put the Copa hosts ahead in the fifth minute with a shot from the right over goal-keeper Arjan Beqaj from Messi’s perfect pass. Argentina, completely in control, went two up two minutes before half-time, Lavezzi returning the compliment to Messi. Albania did not create a single testing chance, goal-keeper Sergio Romero going down just once to stop an easy early effort. “It was not as hard as it’s going to be in the Copa America but it’s useful to get our movements right,” Carlo Tevez told Argentine TV. “These kinds of matches help us to get confidence and get to know each other better.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 22^nd, 2011.