Lo Celso seals Argentina’s comfortable win over Venezuela in Messi’s absence

MIAMI — Even without Lionel Messi on the field, Argentina showed their depth and control as they eased past Venezuela 1-0 in an international friendly at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Friday.

A slick first-half strike from Giovani Lo Celso was enough to hand the reigning world champions a comfortable win in front of a modest crowd of around 15,000 in the 65,000-capacity venue.

Messi, who missed the match as a precaution after recent muscle tightness, watched from the stands as his teammates produced a composed display that rarely saw them troubled. Argentina’s attack, led by Julian Alvarez and *Lautaro Martínez, looked sharp and inventive throughout, while fullback Nahuel Molina impressed with his relentless energy on the right flank.

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The decisive moment arrived in the 31st minute, and it was a goal straight out of Argentina’s training ground. Alvarez and Martínez combined beautifully around the box, drawing Venezuelan defenders out of position before slipping a pass into Lo Celso’s path. The midfielder, showing great composure, struck a crisp left-footed finish beyond goalkeeper Jose Contreras, putting Argentina 1-0 up.

After taking the lead, Lionel Scaloni’s side dictated the tempo with typical control, using quick transitions and short passing to maintain dominance. Venezuela struggled to create any clear-cut chances, managing only a few speculative efforts from distance that failed to trouble Emiliano Martínez in goal.

While Argentina didn’t add to their tally in the second half, they remained largely untroubled, using the friendly as an opportunity to test squad depth and rhythm ahead of a busy international calendar. Substitute appearances from young talents like Alejandro Garnacho and Enzo Fernández added further dynamism to the closing stages.

The result extends Argentina’s unbeaten run since their Copa América final loss in 2021 and highlights their continued ability to control matches even without their talismanic captain. Scaloni’s side will next face Puerto Rico in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday, in their second and final Florida friendly — a match that was originally scheduled for Chicago’s Soldier Field but was moved amid recent U.S. government restrictions on large international events involving foreign participants.