Oct. 18 (UPI) — Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni declared Lionel Messi healthy again after the soccer sensation scored twice and played every minute in a win over Peru in a World Cup qualifier.
Messi scored in the 32nd and 42nd minutes of the 2-0 victory Tuesday in Lima.
“The most important thing is that he is healthy,” said Scaloni in a statement. “That is the best thing. He is managing his minutes alone.”
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner had been out of action for both Argentina and MLS club Inter Miami since September 20. Messi suffered a leg injury during an Inter Miami victory and left the field before halftime.
After a few weeks of recovery, he made his return as a substitute for Inter Miami on October 7, and also appeared as a substitute for Argentina in their 1-0 win over Paraguay. Since his injury, Messi has missed four MLS games.
Messi showed great form throughout the match against Peru. He had several close attempts before finally breaking through in the 32nd minute. It was a well-executed sequence involving Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Gonzalez that led to Messi’s first goal.
In the 42nd minute, Fernandez once again played a key role in setting up Messi’s second goal, which was a powerful shot that found the back of the net.
Despite his efforts, Messi was unable to complete a hat trick in the second half. Nonetheless, his two goals on Tuesday brought his CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier career total to 31, surpassing Luis Suarez to become the all-time leading scorer.
Argentina will play against Uruguay in their next World Cup qualifier on November 16.
As for Inter Miami, they have a match against FC Charlotte in the MLS at 8 p.m. EDT Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Messi’s availability for the team’s final matches of the season will be evaluated by coach Tata Martino.
In a recent interview, Messi expressed his commitment to training and hinted that he intends to play again this season for Inter Miami.
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