We'll play a solitary minute of added time as Argentina close in on a resounding victory here.
87'
G. Montiel has scored a goal for Argentina! Assist by P. Dybala.
Great work from Dybala there, picking out a player who certainly wasn't in the Roma forward's line of sight when he first received that ball.
GOOOOOAAALLL!!! There's number seven!!! Dybala does brilliantly down the left side to beat two defenders before crossing, and Montiel's arriving late to fire home, despite Room's best efforts to keep the ball out! A late Argentine flurry sees them go 7-0 up, the second goal of a quieter second half, and with the play we've seen tonight, there could be more to come.
84'
K. Felida enters the game and replaces L. Bacuna.
G. Roemeratoe enters the game and replaces V. Anita.
The booked Anita also comes off, with Godfried Roemeratoe taking his place in the engine room.
On half of the Bacuna brothers, Leandro, comes off, with Kevin Felida set to see out the game in midfield.
82'
V. Anita gets yellow.
Anita climbs up the back of Messi to prevent him bringing down a loose ball, and the midfielder is shown a yellow card - the second booking in as many minutes!
81'
R. De Paul gets yellow.
A high boot from De Paul sees him catch Juninho Bacuna very late indeed, and the referee rightfully brandishes a yellow card, for the very first time in this game!
80'
F. Armani enters the game and replaces E. Martínez.
An odd late substitution, with starting goalkeeper Emi Martinez replaced by Franco Armani for the last 10 minutes. He'll likely not see much trouble though, with both keepers all-but nailed on to keep a clean sheet here.
78'
Penalty goal scored by Á. Di María for Argentina!
GOOOOAAALLL!!! Six of the best!!! Di Maria steps up and coolly slots his penalty into the bottom corner, and sends Room the wrong way in the process to make it 6-0 to the home side!
77'
After one move on the counter breaks down, Argentina keep the ball on the edge of a crowded Curacao box. It falls for Di Maria, whose drilled effort is blocked away by the visitors!
75'
With 15 minutes to go in this half, Argentina are yet to breach Curacao's defences in the second period. They'll still comfortably win this game, but have been limited to four efforts in this half, compared to 15 in the first, despite an increase in possession from 53.6 per cent to 72.8 per cent!
Minute
Description
73'
X. Severina enters the game and replaces B. Kuwas.
G. Troupée enters the game and replaces R. van Eijma.
Kuwas' game also comes to an end, with Xander Severina joining the midfield in place of the starter.
Van Eijma is latest off for Curacao, and Giovanni Troupee will enter the pitch to see out the game.
69'
Messi attempts to weave his way between three defenders but is stopped dead in his tracks by the body-check of Van Eijma, winning the Albiceleste a free-kick.
67'
Á. Di María enters the game and replaces G. Lo Celso.
P. Dybala enters the game and replaces L. Martínez.
Lautaro Martinez has cut a frustrated figure up front, continually denied by Room in the Curacaoan goal, and Paulo Dybala replaces him, hoping for better luck in that department.
Lo Celso's been extremely effective for Argentina in midfield so far, but comes off now for Angel Di Maria to see out the game for Scaloni's side.
66'
Leandro Bacuna's cross finds the head of Van Eijma at the far post, but his effort is easily caught and held by Emi Martinez.
65'
The two number sevens come together as Juninho Bacuna attempts to skip past De Paul, but has his heels clipped by the substitute, giving Curacao another free-kick opportunity on the edge of Argentina's box.
61'
A loose ball breaks kindly for Curacao in midfield, but the Albiceleste defence retreat in numbers and eventually Floranus is forced into a wayward shot from distance.
60'
De Paul looks to step inside from the right flank, but he's clipped from behind by Juninho Bacuna and wins an Argentine free-kick.
58'
J. Antonisse enters the game and replaces K. Gorré.
R. Živković enters the game and replaces R. Janga.
Gorre is also withdrawn, and Jeremy Antonisse comes into midfield for the visitors.
Janga comes off in Curacao's first change, and is replaced up front by Emmen forward Richairo Zivkovic.
53'
Kuwas steps up to take the visitors' free-kick, but drives his 25-yard effort straight into a blue and white wall!
52'
Pezzella collides with Janga on the edge of the Argentina box, and both Bacuna brothers stand over the dangerous-looking free-kick for Curacao.
50'
R. De Paul enters the game and replaces A. Mac Allister.
E. Palacios enters the game and replaces E. Fernández.
J. Foyth enters the game and replaces N. Otamendi.
Juan Foyth is also introduced by Scaloni, replacing Otamendi at centre-back.
Midfield goalscorer Fernandez also comes off, with Exequiel Palacios slotting into his central position for the hosts.
The first of Argentina's changes sees Mac Allister replaced in midfield by fellow World Cup winner Rodrigo De Paul.
47'
Mac Allister makes his way forward and has the ball on the edge of the box, but he's bowled over by Gaari and wins a free-kick for Argentina.
46'
Curacao resume proceedings, and the second half is underway in Santiago del Estero!
45'
HALF-TIME: ARGENTINA 5-0 CURACAO.
43'
Montiel does well down the right before finding Mac Allister, but he goes down far too easily in the box and is denied a penalty!
41'
Lautaro Martinez tries to find crossing space from the left, but Martina gets in the way to block the ball behind for an Argentina corner.
39'
Curacao win a free-kick which is crossed in from the left and cleared, but Juninho Bacuna fires a volleyed rebound which bounces off the floor and is easily dealt with!
38'
Up steps Messi from some 22 yards, but his free-kick is certainly off-colour and flies high and wide of the intended target.
37'
L. Messi has scored a goal for Argentina! Assist by G. Lo Celso.
Another perfectly-weighted Lo Celso ball finds Messi in the right place, at the right time, and it's all over with the game still less than 40 minutes old.
GOOOOAAAALLL!!! A hat-trick for Argentina's talisman!! Messi's game continues to get better, finishing off a rapid-fire move from the corner. The Albiceleste break out quickly and Lo Celso's long ball over the top has the 35-year-old racing after it. He evades the attention of two incoming defenders to engage Room, before slotting the ball into the bottom corner to make it 5-0! He is simply something else when he's on this form!
36'
Floranus' cross from the left tests Emi Martinez, who comes out to punch but can't get a clean connection on the ball, which goes behind for a Curacao corner.
35'
E. Fernández has scored a goal for Argentina! Assist by L. Messi.
GOOOOAAALL!!! It just keeps getting better!! The Albiceleste flood forward in numbers and the ball comes to Messi, who is soon crowded in the box. He lays the ball off to Fernandez behind him, whose first-time shot catches Room off-guard and flies into the corner!!! 4-0 to the hosts, and victory is 'routine' from here on in.
Messi also did well there not to try and get his hat-trick, once again turning provider for Fernandez to fire the ball home.
33'
L. Messi has scored a goal for Argentina! Assist by N. González.
GOOOOAAAALLL!!!! It's Room 101 for Curacao, and goal 101 for Messi!! Good link play between Gonzalez and Fernandez allows the former to drive into the box, where he tees up Messi to step inside and side-foot home! 3-0 to Argentina, and one of the simplest international goals the little magician will ever score!
Gonzalez's work there was just superb, and did well to choose the passing option despite having shooting space himself.
32'
Juninho Bacuna makes another positive run in behind as his brother Leandro attempts the pass, but the ball's too close to Emi Martinez and the Albiceleste goalkeeper comes up with the ball.
30'
Lo Celso attempts to place the ball in the bottom corner, but his side-footed shot from the edge of the box bounces just wide of the far post!
27'
Lo Celso wins Argentina their fifth corner of the match, but Messi's near-post cross is headed clear by Gaari.
23'
N. González has scored a goal for Argentina!
GOOOAAALL!!! The Albiceleste double their advantage! From the third of a succession of corners, Pezzella's strong back-post header is cleared off the line by Martina. Room goes up to punch the ball clear, but he's beaten in the air by Gonzalez, who nods into the unguarded net and makes it 2-0 to Argentina! Two strikes in three minutes, and it's business as usual for Scaloni's side.
20'
L. Messi has scored a goal for Argentina! Assist by G. Lo Celso.
Argentina's play threatened to look disjointed following the breakdown of that earlier move, but Lo Celso's crisp pass to Messi allowed the Albiceleste captain to do what he does best.
GOOOOOOOAAAAALLL!!!! Centurion! Messi has his 100th international goal, and it's a rifled right-footed finish into the bottom corner! Good work from himself and Lautaro Martinez comes to nothing, but Curacao can't clear properly and Lo Celso finds Messi once again in the box. He steps away from his marker before drilling a low shot beyond Room, and his finish sees the ball nestles in the back of the net for the 100th time in a blue-and-white shirt!
19'
Argentina's increased attacking threat has come following a switch in formation, with Messi drifting onto the right and Gonzalez coming to the left to flank Lautaro Martinez at the front of a 4-3-3.
17'
Some risky but nonchalant play at the back sees Room chip the ball over Gonzalez's head to Martina, before receiving a headed pass back from his captain which allows him to hold onto the ball!
15'
Martinez is found running into space, and quickly draws defenders towards him. He tees up Gonzalez to his left, who first-time shot is snatched at and the ball rattles into the side netting!
9'
Kuwas looks to spin away from Acuna but is clipped late by the Argentina left-back, and has stayed down despite the referee calling play-on!
7'
Some smart play down the left from the visitors almost allows Leandro Bacuna room in the box, but Otamendi steps across to cut the ball out for Argentina.
5'
Gonzalez looks to charge down Room as the Curacao goalkeeper kicks long, forcing him to shank the ball straight over the near touchline.
2'
A long pass from the back has Juninho Bacuna searing after it, but Emi Martinez races a mile out of his goal to clear for the Albiceleste.
1'
Gonzalez kicks off for Argentina, and we're underway in Santiago del Estero!
Hello, and welcome to live coverage of this international friendly fixture as world champions Argentina take on Curacao in Santiago del Estero.
Enigmatic national captain Lionel Messi bagged his 99th international goal in the Albiceleste’s 2-0 friendly win over Panama five days ago, and the PSG forward will be confident of bringing up his ton against a side ranked 86th in the world at the moment.
Curacao’s recent CONCACAF Nations League A match against Canada ended in a 2-0 defeat thanks to two first-half strikes, and it’ll take one of international football’s greatest upsets for La Pantera Azul to topple the World Cup winners at the Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades.
CURACAO SUBS: Tyrick Bodak, Trevor Doornbusch, Godfried Roemeratoe, Richairo Zivkovic, Shanon Carmelia, Justin Ogenia, Nathangelo Markelo, Xander Severina, Elson Hooi, Giovanni Troupee, Kevin Felida, Jeremy Antonisse.
ARGENTINA SUBS: Franco Armani, Geronimo Rulli, Juan Foyth, Nicolas Tagliafico, Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo de Paul, Julian Alvarez, Angel di Maria, Cristian Romero, Exequiel Palacios, Angel Correa, Guido Rodriguez, Paulo Dybala, Lisandro Martinez, Giovanni Simeone.
ARGENTINA (4-3-1-2): Emiliano Martinez; Gonzalo Montiel, German Pezzella, Nicolas Otamendi, Marcos Acuna; Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Giovani Lo Celso; Lionel Messi; Lautaro Martinez, Nicolas Gonzalez.
The teams head out onto the pitch amidst a packed crowd, and kick-off isn't far away now!
After some lively half-time entertainment, we're back for the second 45 minutes here!
That's all from us, we hope you enjoyed the game. Until next time, goodbye!
Argentina round off a successful international break with nine goals scored across their two games, with not a single one let in at the other end. Sterner tests will soon come, but for now, the world champions appear more than happy on the crest of the wave of positivity they're currently riding, with no hangover from Qatar 2022 detectable whatsoever. Curacao were always going to be second-best, but with CONCACAF qualifying matches coming up, they can take positives from this game despite the heaviness of the scoreline.
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