Argentina delivered a commanding performance in Miami on Tuesday night, dismantling Puerto Rico 6-0 in an international friendly highlighted by braces from Alexis Mac Allister and Lautaro Martínez, along with two assists from Lionel Messi.
Originally scheduled for Chicago, the match was relocated to Inter Miami’s DRV PNK Stadium amid reports of weak ticket sales. The change of venue at least ensured strong local interest, with the presence of Messi – who played the full 90 minutes – drawing a vibrant crowd.
Argentina quickly asserted control, opening the scoring in the 14th minute when Mac Allister, the Liverpool midfielder, rose unmarked to head home from close range. Nine minutes later, Messi produced a trademark defence-splitting pass to release Gonzalo Montiel, who drilled a composed finish into the bottom-left corner to make it 2-0.
Mac Allister struck again in the 36th minute, finishing from inside the box to send the world champions into halftime with a comfortable three-goal cushion.
Puerto Rico’s task became even more difficult after Steven Echevarria turned the ball into his own net in the 64th minute under pressure from Argentina’s relentless attack.
Manager Lionel Scaloni introduced Lautaro Martínez just after the hour mark, and the Inter Milan forward wasted no time making his impact. He scored in the 79th minute with a clinical finish, before adding his second five minutes later after being teed up by Messi, sealing a dominant six-goal victory.
Argentina came into the match off a 1-0 win over Colombia last Friday, while Puerto Rico had edged St Vincent and the Grenadines 2-1 on the same night. The gulf in class was evident throughout this friendly, as Argentina maintained momentum ahead of upcoming competitive fixtures.
