Messi scores twice as Argentina pound sorry Bolivia in Houston

Houston —

Lionel Messi scored less than a minute after coming on as a substitute and added another goal in Argentina’s 7-0 win over Bolivia on Friday night.

The Barcelona star entered in the 65th minute and scored with a header from eight yards.

Nine minutes later he scored again, rounding the goalkeeper in front of a crowd of 22,126.

Messi has nine multi-goal games for Argentina, including three hat-tricks.

It was Argentina’s first match since their loss to Chile in the Copa America final in July.

Ezequiel Lavezzi opened the scoring in the fifth minute, and Sergio Aguero added in the 33rd minute with a delicate chip from a difficult angle. Lavezzi added another four minutes before halftime.

The pair again combined for the fourth in the 59th minute, with Aguero converting the Paris Saint-Germain forward’s low cross from close range.

Substitute Angel Correa completed the loss in the friendly at the BBVA Compass Stadium with seven minutes remaining.

The match was Julio César Baldivieso’s first in charge of Bolivia, who dismissed Mauricio Soria despite exceeding expectations by reaching the quarter-finals of the Copa América.

Argentina will take on Mexico in an exhibition match at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Tuesday night before the start of 2018 World Cup qualifying against Ecuador in Buenos Aires on October 8.