CORDOBA (Argentina): Lionel Messi’s Argentina brushed aside Paraguay 3-1 to go top of the South American 2014 World Cup qualifiers at the Mario Kempes stadium on Friday.
Goals from Angel Di Maria, Gonzalo Higuain and Messi, with a brilliant free kick, gave Argentina their first home win over Paraguay in a World Cup qualifier in 39 years.
Argentina lead the South American group with 13 points from six matches, one more point than Chile and Ecuador and two ahead of Uruguay. Paraguay, quarterfinalists in South Africa in 2010, remained one from bottom with four points before basement team Peru’s match at home to Venezuela.
Argentina went ahead in the second minute when Ezequiel Lavezzi crossed square into the middle, Higuain played the ball back to him and the winger passed to Di Maria who found the top corner with a sweet left-footed shot.
Meanwhile, Frank Lampard ensured England made a smooth start on the road to Brazil as the Chelsea midfielder bagged a brace in his side’s 5-0 demolition of Moldova in Friday’s opening World Cup qualifier played in Chisinau.
After England’s tame Euro 2012 quarter-final exit against Italy, it was essential for Roy Hodgson’s side to deliver a convincing display in Chisinau and Lampard’s 24th and 25th international goals were the catalyst for a ruthless rout of the Group H minnows.
Lampard gave England the perfect start when he converted a penalty and he was on the scoresheet again before half-time, while Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe also netted in the first period and James Milner and Leighton Baines added late goals to kill off the out-classed Moldovans.
Ukraine should provide a sterner test when they visit Wembley on Tuesday, but this was a promising start to England’s bid to reach the 2014 World Cup.
In another match, Mesut Oezil scored twice as Germany began their World Cup qualifying campaign with a predictable 3-0 win over a defensive disciplined but extremely limited Faroe Islands on Friday.
There was early drama as Faroes goalkeeper Gunnar Nielsen kept the hosts at bay for almost half an hour and a hint of desperation was creeping into the Germans’ play before Mario Goetze broke through. After that Germany relaxed, stroked the ball around, often at walking pace, and completed the European Group C win with two Ozil goals in the second half.
The game was largely played in near silence, broken only by a monotonous drum-banging in the background, and even the goals brought only muted cheers from the crowd.
Ronaldo celebrates
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo scored and celebrated as his side recovered from an early scare in Luxembourg to start their World Cup Group F qualifying campaign with a 2-1 win on Friday.
A fifth of Luxembourg’s population is Portuguese and many turned up in the 8,000-strong crowd at the compact Josy Barthel stadium but they were stunned when a Portuguese-born Luxembourgian Daniel da Mota punished a clumsy start by the favourites to put the hosts ahead with a fierce drive after 13 minutes. (Agencies)
