Lionel Messi struck with a trademark dribble and shot in stoppage-time to give Argentina a 1-0 victory over Brazil in a friendly international in Doha.
The Barcelona striker broke the deadlock as both teams were appearing to settle for a goalless draw, to give Argentina a first win over their arch-rivals for five years.
Messi traded passes with Ezeguiel Lavezzi around the centre circle before setting off on a run towards the Brazilian penalty area.
Although surrounded by four Brazilians, he managed to fashion enough space to the left to fire in a shot from just inside the area to beat the diving Viktor in goal.
The prestige friendly in Doha, which host Qatar was hoping would help showcase its bid to host the 2022 World Cup seemed to be petering out into a goalless draw until Messi’s brilliance.
Both sides, with new coaches since the World Cup, had created chances to win a game, which proved entertaining for the first-half at least for a capacity 50,000 crowd in the Khalifa stadium.
Brazil enjoyed the better of the opportunities as they sought to underline recent dominance over their neighbours who had not won against the Selecao in five games since June 2005.
Dani Alves rattled the bar early on after a one-two with David Luiz, while Argentina’s Javier Mascherano came close to putting the ball into his own net while clearing a Neymar cross.
Brazil coach Mano Menezes included Ronaldinho, back in the team after an 18-month absence, and with a bit more luck the 30-year-old veteran might have scored with a back heel, which brought a save from Sergio Romero.
Romero also dived to punch away a Ronaldinho free-kick, while at the other end, Victor pulled off two saves in quick succession from a Gonzalo Higuain header and the follow-up from Javier Pastore, but the linesman’s flag was up for offside.
Messi, who had the crowd cheering every time he was on the ball, also gave a reminder of his threat with a run towards the Brazilian penalty area before whipping in a shot just past the angle of bar and post.
The game fell away in the second-half as both Menezes and Argentina coach Sergio Batista, in charge for the first time as Diego Maradona’s permanent replacement, rang the changes.
An intruder on the pitch, who was chased by eight or nine stewards before being captured, brought some cheers — but the best entertainment was left to the last with Messi’s moment of magic.
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