Argentina defeat Venezuela 1-0 in Miami as Messi sits out

Argentina managed a constrictive 1-0 triumph implicit Venezuela connected Friday nighttime astatine Hard Rock Stadium successful Miami, contempt playing without skipper Lionel Messi, who watched the lucifer from a suite alongside his family.

“I decided that Leo would not play,” Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni told reporters aft the game. “We wanted to effort Lautaro [Martínez] and Julián [Álvarez] and had José Manuel López connected the bench. It was simply my decision.”

The satellite champions dominated possession and created galore chances, firing 19 shots with 11 connected target. The decisive extremity came from Giovani Lo Celso, who recovered the nett aft combining neatly with Martínez. Scaloni’s experimental lineup kept Argentina’s bushed intact adjacent without their prima player.

When asked astir Messi’s availability for Argentina’s adjacent affable against Puerto Rico connected October 14, Scaloni struck a cautious but optimistic tone. “Let’s anticipation Messi tin beryllium determination connected Tuesday,” helium said. “We’ll spot however things unfold successful the coming days.”

Messi’s Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul started connected the seat earlier replacing Álvarez successful the 2nd half, helping to support power successful midfield arsenic Argentina saw retired the win.

Mascherano hopes for Messi’s instrumentality to Inter Miami

Meanwhile, Inter Miami caput manager Javier Mascherano hinted astatine his eagerness to spot Messi backmost with the nine for Saturday’s MLS clash against Atlanta United. The fixture comes conscionable a time aft Argentina’s friendly.

“I’d emotion it. Imagine being capable to person Leo Messi,” Mascherano said. “But the world is helium hasn’t been with us. I haven’t spoken to him, truthful we’ll spot contiguous what happens.”

Inter Miami person already secured a playoff spot but stay focused connected improving their presumption successful the Eastern Conference to unafraid home-field vantage successful the postseason.

Argentina besides confirmed that Franco Mastantuono volition miss the remainder of the planetary campy owed to a near thigh injury.