AUBURN (Alabama), 10 June (HS): Reigning world champions Argentina delivered an impressive performance in their final warm-up match before the FIFA World Cup, defeating Iceland 3-0 on Wednesday to underline their readiness for the tournament.

The match, played at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama, saw Lionel Messi come off the bench and score from the penalty spot, adding a memorable touch to Argentina’s convincing victory.

Argentina began the contest on the front foot and took control from the outset. Within the opening ten minutes, Valentín Barco found the net with a superb finish to hand his side an early lead.

Messi was introduced with around 20 minutes remaining in the second half. Shortly afterward, Argentina were awarded a penalty when Lautaro Martínez was fouled inside the box. Messi calmly converted the spot-kick, doubling Argentina’s advantage.

The goal held special significance for Messi, who famously missed a penalty against Iceland during the 2018 FIFA World Cup. This time, he made no mistake against the same opponents, putting that disappointing memory firmly behind him.

Argentina further strengthened their lead in the closing stages of the match. In the 86th minute, Thiago Almada finished off a brilliant move after receiving an excellent pass from Rodrigo De Paul, making it 3-0.

Throughout the match, Argentina maintained control of possession and never allowed Iceland an opportunity to mount a comeback. The dominant victory provided a significant boost to the team's confidence ahead of the World Cup.

Argentina will now begin their World Cup campaign against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar