Updated On: 18 November, 2022 08:09 AM IST | Mumbai | AP
Star striker scores in last friendly before World Cup as Argentina rout UAE; narrow wins for Germany, Poland, Croatia

Argentina skipper Lionel Messi is closely marked by three UAE players during their warm-up match in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. Pic/AFP
Lionel Messi played the entire game in Argentina’s final World Cup warm-up and scored in a 5-0 rout of the United Arab Emirates as the pre-tournament favourites stretched their unbeaten run to 36 games.
Messi scored his team’s fourth goal right before the break, having also set up Julián Álvarez to open the scoring in the 17th minute. Angel di Maria scored twice in between.