Messi led Argentina to victory with a swift goal.

 Messi led Argentina to victory with a swift goal.

vies during a friendly football match against Australia at the Workers' Stadium in Beijing on June 15, 2023(Getty)

Lionel Messi and German Pezzella led Argentina to victory with their goals. La Albiceleste defeated Australia 2-0 in a friendly match at the Workers Stadium in Beijing today.

36 years after their World Cup victory, Argentina advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Australia. In the same match in the second round of the Qatar World Cup last December, Lionel Messi broke the deadlock in the 35th minute. This time, at the friendly match against Kangaroos, the 35-year-old forward found the net again. Argentina won the match 2-1.

Today, before the referee blew the first whistle against Australia, Argentine supporters celebrated another goal with enthusiasm. In just 79 seconds of the match, Messi received the ball from Enzo Fernández and put Argentina ahead. With this, Messi scored in all seven matches he played in the national team's jersey. In the match against Australia, Lionel Scaloni's disciples took the lead 1-0.

Pezzella doubled Argentina's lead in the second half. In the 68th minute, he crossed the ball from Messi's corner kick and headed it into the net. Holding on to this lead, Argentina secured the victory. As it was a friendly match, both teams made six substitutions.

After almost seven years, Messi traveled to China. After playing a friendly match in Beijing, on June 19, Argentina will play another friendly match against Indonesia in Jakarta. Before this, Lionel Scaloni's team played two friendly matches against Panama and Curaçao on their home turf after winning the World Cup. They emerged victorious in both matches.