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Messi overtakes Pele as South America's top international scorer with 79 goals.
Images from Thursday's South American World Cup qualifiers.
Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick to give Argentina a 3-0 win over Bolivia in a World Cup qualifier on Thursday, lifting him above Pele as South America's top international scorer with 79 goals.
Messi got the opener after 14 minutes in Buenos Aires, dancing around the Bolivian defence before curling the ball into the net from just outside the box.
He made it 2-0 in the 64th minute after working a one-two with Lautaro Martinez and displaying superb footwork in a packed penalty box, then completed the hat-trick with two minutes left, crashing home a rebound from close range.
His 77th, 78th and 79th goals marked his seventh hat-trick for the national side and took him two above Pele in the South American scoring charts.
“I was really anxious, and I really wanted to enjoy it," Messi said. "I’ve waited a long time for this, I went for it, and I dreamt about it. It’s a unique moment for the way it came about, after waiting so long.”
On a night when Argentine fans were allowed to watch their national team for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Messi broke down in tears as he lifted the Copa America trophy at the Monumental stadium.
Argentina won the Copa America in July, their first major title in 28 years, and Messi danced with his team mates and showed off the trophy to the 21,000 supporters present.
“There was no better way to celebrate than by being here,” he said. “My mum is here, my siblings are in the stands. They have suffered so much and they are here celebrating. I am very happy.”
Argentina are in second place behind Brazil in the 10-team qualifying group for Qatar in 2022. The top four teams qualify automatically and the fifth-placed side goes into an inter-regional play-off.
Brazil overcome Peru with first-half goals
Everton Ribeiro got his second goal in two games to help Brazil on their way to a 2-0 win over Peru in a World Cup qualifier in Recife.
Ribeiro, who last week got the only goal of the game as Brazil beat Chile, side-footed home after 15 minutes following good work from Neymar.
He almost got his second of the match five minutes before halftime but his shot was saved and Neymar tapped home the rebound to make it 2-0.
Brazil were missing nine players who were not released by their Premier League clubs but they were still too strong for opponents who had never beaten them in 12 previous World Cup qualifying matches.
It was the ninth home qualifier in a row where Brazil have kept a clean sheet, and their eighth win from eight Qatar 2022 qualifiers.
“These three games we lacked a lot of players that meant others had a chance and they stepped up,” said captain Casemiro. “I think we are on the right track.
“We’ve won eight in a row, that’s a record and though we are not mathematically there yet we are thinking about the World Cup.”
The victory puts Brazil on 24 points at the top of the South American qualifying group, six ahead of Argentina, who beat Bolivia 3-0 on Thursday.
The top four in the 10-team group qualify automatically for the finals and the fifth-placed side goes into an inter-regional playoff.
Colombia score over Chile
Earlier on Thursday, Miguel Borja scored two goals in two minutes to put Colombia on their way to a 3-1 victory over Chile in Barranquilla.
He got the first from the penalty spot after 19 minutes and then ran through on goal a minute later to slip the ball under the keeper and make it 2-0.
Jean Meneses pulled one back for Chile in the 56th minute but Luis Dias restored Colombia’s two-goal lead with 16 minutes left.
Colombia are fifth in the qualifying table, tied on points with fourth-placed Ecuador, while Chile are eighth.
Uruguay get past Ecuador with late goal
Gaston Pereiro scored in stoppage time to give Uruguay a 1-0 win over Ecuador in Thursday’s World Cup qualifier in Montevideo.
Uruguay had only one shot on target the whole game but Pereiro’s header in the 92nd minute was enough to lift the home side above Ecuador and into third place in the 10-team South American qualifying group.
Uruguay now have 15 points, two more than the visitors. Brazil started the day at the top of the table with 21 points, six ahead of Argentina. The both play later on Thursday.
The top four teams qualify automatically for Qatar 2022 and the fifth-placed side go into an inter-regional playoff.
In Asuncion, Paraguay beat Venezuela 2-1 at home to win for the first time in seven qualifying matches.
Hector Martinez put Paraguay ahead in the seventh minute with a stunning 25-meter strike and Alejandro Romero made 2-0 a minute into the second half.
Jhon Chancellor pulled a goal back for Venezuela in stoppage time.
Venezuela lost their last two games against Argentina and Peru and badly needed to get points on the board but they were no match for the Paraguayans and remain bottom of the South American qualifying group.
