Lionel Messi scored on his return to the national team as Argentina stretched their world-leading unbeaten run to 30 matches with a routine 3-0 World Cup qualifying win over Venezuela on Friday. Goals from Nicolas Gonzalez and Angel Di Maria, both created by Rodrigo De Paul, also kept a packed Bombonera stadium enthralled for a match that had nothing riding on it.
Messi said he will reconsider his future in football later this year, but said it’s likely “many things will change” after the World Cup in November and December in Qatar. “I don’t know what I will do after the World Cup. I am thinking about what is coming,” Messi said.
“After Qatar I will have to reassess many things.” He added his doubts had nothing to do with past frustration playing for Argentina. He won his first title with the team last year—the Copa America in a final against Brazil. “It has been a while that I am happy here, since before winning the Copa. I am thankful for all this. They make me feel every time I come to Argentina,” Messi said.
Salah shines
Meanwhile, Liverpool scorer Mohamed Salah was the architect of the only goal as Egypt edged Senegal 1-0 in Cairo on Friday in a high-profile World Cup play-off first leg. Salah turned inside the box and slammed the ball against the crossbar with the rebound hitting Senegal defender Saliou Ciss and rolling into the net for an own-goal.
France win 2-1
Aurelien Tchouameni struck two minutes into added time on Friday as France came from behind to beat Ivory Coast 2-1 in a friendly in Marseille. The Monaco midfielder headed the winner from a corner as an experimental French team beat an Ivory Coast side filled with familiar names.
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