Lionel Messi had two assists and helped start a play that led to another goal, as reigning World Cup champion Argentina beat Puerto Rico 6-0 in a relocated international friendly on Tuesday night. The match was originally scheduled to be played Monday in Chicago, before promoters moved the game last week. Officials in Chicago said low ticket sales were to blame; officials with the Argentine soccer federation said the immigration crackdown in Chicago was responsible.
Playing on the field he calls home with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, Messi flicked a quick lob to set up Gonzalo Montiel’s score in the first half and then had a nifty back pass that created Lautaro Martínez’s second goal of the night in the 83rd minute.
Alexis Mac Allister had two goals for Argentina, which also benefited from an own goal midway through the second half.
It was a peculiar matchup in so many ways.
There were the circumstances behind the move, sparked at least in part by an immigration crackdown that had seen more than 1,000 arrested since last month in the Chicago area. Tickets were available a couple hours before the game for as low as $25, which is rare for anything involving Messi. The stadium was about half-filled at kickoff, though it did fill somewhat more as the match went along.
It also pitted the world’s No. 3 ranked team, according to global governing body FIFA, in Argentina against the world’s No. 155-ranked team in Puerto Rico — which even had some college players in its lineup.
Goalkeeper Sebastian Cutler — who saved a header from Messi early in the second half, then stoned him again on a 15-yard left-footed try in the 74th minute — was 1-1-2 this season at Villanova, and midfielder Noeh Hernández has three goals this season for DePaul.
Puerto Rico nearly scored in the eighth minute when a shot by Leandro Antonetti from beyond the midfield stripe almost got over the head of Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who barely got back in time to make the save.
The match was part of Argentina’s preparations for the World Cup, which will be played in the U.S., Mexico and Canada next year from June 11 to July 19. The match came on the same day that President Donald Trump, for at least the second time, threatened to relocate World Cup matches.
He said Tuesday that the U.S. could take away matches that are set to be played next year in suburban Boston, after suggesting that parts of the city had been “taken over” by unrest.
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