AFP, Montevideo :
Lionel Messi opened the scoring as Argentina thumped neighbors Uruguay 3-0 in an entertaining World Cup qualifier on Sunday.
Goals from Rodrigo De Paul and Lautaro Martinez rounded off a successful night for Lionel Scaloni’s team in Buenos Aires as they maintained their unbeaten start to the qualification campaign and closed the gap at the top of the single South American table to six points behind Brazil, who drew 0-0 with Colombia.
“We played a great match, I think we’re improving a lot,” said Messi. “It was a tough match and we had to win it.
“Uruguay sit back and are dangerous. Once we scored the first goal we started to find spaces and many appeared.”
The first half was a classic end-to-end thriller with both sides hitting the woodwork before Argentina opened the scoring.
Uruguay’s Luis Suarez looked lively early on and had three gilt-edged chances, all from the corner of the six yard box.
Two, including an acrobatic volley, were parried by goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, while his third effort came back off the near post.
For Argentina, Giovani Lo Celso skewed wide form 10 yards and Lautaro Martinez was narrowly unable to direct De Paul’s cross on target.
Lo Celso then broke from deep and rounded goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, but his shot crashed down off the bar onto the goalline before bouncing away to safety.
Messi had a low shot from the D deflected inches past the post and then broke the deadlock in bizarre fashion.
The returning Neymar could not inspire Brazil to victory as hosts Colombia ended their perfect start to the qualification campaign in Barraquilla.
The Selecao had won their first nine qualifiers, scoring 22 goals to lead the table by eight points before kick-off.
Coach Tite’s side are still almost certain to qualify for next year’s finals in Qatar as they maintain a 13-point lead over fifth-placed Colombia, with the top four progressing automatically.
“Neymar did well as the team’s leader,” said Tite, but “he was well marshalled” by a Colombian side that has “more technical qualities than other teams.”
Brazil started brightly and dominated the opening quarter as Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina made saves from Neymar and Lucas Paqueta.
Neymar’s cute reverse pass then put Paqueta in one-on-one with Ospina but on the stretch he poked the ball wide.
