Argentina were beaten 3-1 by Venezuela on Lionel Messi's return to the side at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid.
2019 Friendlies
1-3
Match Events
6' GOAL! Argentina 0-1 Venezuela (Rondon)
RONDON GIVES VENEZUELA THE LEAD! He was left in a lot of space as he ran off the back of his defender and he brings it down brilliantly with his first touch before hitting his shot on the volley over the top of Armani and into the back of the net. 1-0 Venezuela!
30' CHANCE! Lautaro's header saved
GREAT SAVE BY FARINEZ! Some brilliant individual work by Messi got him past his defender and when he gets to the edge of the box he crosses the ball into Lautaro Martinez. He gets his head to the ball and his effort is dipping, but the keeper gets across to make an excellent save to deny him.
35' Armani denies Machis at close range
GREAT CHANCE FOR MACHIS! Argentina once again leave a lot of space out the back and Machis finds himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper. He hits his shot low to the bottom corner, but Armani sticks out a leg to deny him the goal.
42' CLOSE! Lautaro's header over the bar
ANOTHER GREAT CHANCE FOR LAUTARO MARTINEZ! Argentina are attacking with a lot of pace and Martinez puts a good cross into the box. The forward rises above his defender and directs his header on target, but Farinez makes another good save to deny him.
44' GOAL! Argentina 0-2 Venezuela (Murillo)
MURILLO MAKES IT TWO! The Argentina defence are caught out once again and Murillo sees the space ahead of him as he cuts back inside from the left wing. From outside the box, he curls the ball over Armani's out-stretched hand and nestles the ball in the back of the net. 2-0 Venezuela!
59' GOAL! Argentina 1-2 Venezuela (Lautaro)
LAUTARO MARTINEZ PULLS ONE BACK FOR ARGENTINA! He timed his run perfectly and was left one-on-one with the goalkeeper and he hit the shot emphatically and the Farinez couldn't get close as it rolled up the net at the back of the goal. 2-1!
75' Penalty Goal! Argentina 1-3 Venezuela (Josef Martinez)
JOSEF MARTINEZ SCORES FROM THE SPOT! There was an argument who was going to take it but the substitute was the one to step up. He only took a short run-up, but he was confident enough to hop just in front of the ball before he hit it. It caught out Armani, who went the wrong way, and nestled in the bottom corner. 3-1 Venezuela!
Match Report
Lionel Messi’s return to the Argentina side ended in a shock 3-1 friendly defeat to Venezuela in Madrid on Friday.
Messi had not played for the national team since their last-16 elimination by eventual winners France at the 2018 World Cup – a tournament for which Venezuela finished bottom of South American qualifying.
But it was Rafael Dudamel's men who stole the show at the Wanda Metropolitano, with Salomon Rondon and Jhon Murillo firing them into a 2-0 lead in the first half.
Lautaro Martinez pulled one back for Argentina after the interval but this was a poor showing from Lionel Scaloni's side, whose fate was sealed by a Josef Martinez penalty 15 minutes from time.
Line-ups
Argentina XI: L. Messi, G. Mercado, F. Armani, G. Martínez, N. Tagliafico, Leandro Paredes, G. Lo Celso, Lautaro Martínez, Gonzalo Montiel, J.Foyth, L. Martínez
Subs: Agustín Marchesín, M. Suárez, I. Marcone, D. Benedetto, R.Pereyra, Walter Kannemann, M. Acuña, P. Dybala, J. Musso, R. Saravia, D. Blanco, F. Zaracho
Venezuela XI: Rosales, Rincón, S.Rondón, Darwin Machís, Jhon Murillo, M. Villanueva, J. Moreno, W. Fariñez, Y. Osorio, Y. Herrera, R. Hernández
Subs: R. Romo, L. Seijas, Fernando Aristeguieta, A. González, A. Figuera, Josef Martínez, J. Chancellor, J. Añor, Yeferson Soteldo, Córdova, L. Del Pino, J. Hurtado