Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero struck two goals apiece in Argentina’s 7-0 romp against an out-of-sorts Bolivia, while Mexico were held by Trinidad & Tobago in friendlies in the US on Friday.
A largely second string side, with captain Lionel Messi coming on for the final 20 minutes, took to 12 the number of goals Copa America runners-up Argentina have put past Bolivia in two friendlies this year.
Ezequiel Lavezzi also scored two goals, while Angel Correa struck Argentina’s seventh on his debut against a Bolivia side under new coach Julio Cesar Baldivieso, who barely had time to prepare them for the match in Houston, Texas.
Photo: AFP
Veteran Bolivia defender Ronald Raldes lent the squad US$21,000 of his own money to cover the travel costs to the US for the squad, with the Bolivian Football Federation (FBF) in turmoil over corruption charges against leading officials, Bolivian media reported.
FBF president Carlos Chavez signed the agreement for the match to go ahead from prison, where he has been awaiting trial since his arrest in July, before the organization sacked him, elected new authorities and appointed Baldivieso last week.
“I think the result was right given how seriously and intensely we played with good performances by the debutants and kids who have played little in the team,” Argentina coach Gerardo Martino said.
“The game was useful over and above the problems our opponents had to put a team together and comes in handy at least to impose our gameplan,” he added.
Top-ranked Argentina, warming up for the FIFA World Cup 2018 CONCACAF qualifiers, play again on Tuesday in Dallas, Texas, where they meet Mexico, who drew 3-3 with Trinidad & Tobago in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Friday.
Mexico, under interim coach Ricardo Ferretti, are preparing to meet the US in next month’s playoff for a berth at next year’s FIFA Confederations Cup.
Substitute Hector Herrera salvaged a draw when he equalized four minutes from time with a long-range shot into the top corner.
Striker Jozy Altidore scored twice in the second half, his first from the rebound of his penalty saved by Pedro Gallese, as Juergen Klinsmann’s US side recovered from a goal down to beat Peru 2-1 in Washington.
Uruguay, missing suspended strikers Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, beat Panama 1-0 in Panama City, with an 82nd minute goal by Cristhian Stuani.
Honduras won 3-0 against Venezuela, while in Europe, France beat Portugal 1-0 in Lisbon in their international friendly.
A sumo star was born in Japan on Sunday when 24-year-old Takerufuji became the first wrestler in 110 years to win a top-division tournament on his debut, triumphing at the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka despite injuring his ankle on the penultimate day. Takerufuji, whose injury had left him in a wheelchair outside the ring, shoved out the higher-ranked Gonoyama at the Edion Arena Osaka to the delight of the crowd, giving him an unassailable record of 13 wins and two losses to claim the Emperor’s Cup. “I did it just through willpower. I didn’t really know what was going
The US’ Ilia Malinin on Saturday produced six scintillating quadruple jumps, including a quadruple Axel, in the men’s free skate to capture his first figure skating world title. The 19-year-old nicknamed the “Quad god,” who is the only skater to land a quadruple Axel in competition, dazzled with an array of breathtakingly executed jumps starting with his quad Axel and including a quadruple Lutz in combination with a triple flip and a quadruple toe loop in combination with a triple toe. He added an unexpected triple-triple combination at the end to earn a world-record 227.79 in the free program for a championship
Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter is being criminally investigated by the IRS, and the attorney for his alleged bookmaker said Thursday that the ex-Los Angeles Dodgers employee placed bets on international soccer — but not baseball. The IRS confirmed Thursday that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office. IRS Criminal Investigation spokesperson Scott Villiard said he could not provide additional details. Mizuhara, 39, was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well
HSIEH MAKES QUARTERS: Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens of Belgium won in the women’s doubles and face Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Sofia Kenin of the US Top-ranked Iga Swiatek and US Open champion Coco Gauff were knocked out of the women’s singles at the Miami Open on Monday, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced in the women’s doubles. Swiatek lost to Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4, 6-2, hours after third seed Gauff fell in three sets to No. 23 Caroline Garcia 6-3, 1-6, 6-2. Alexandrova beat a top-ranked player for the first time and advanced to face Jessica Pegula, a 7-6 (7/1), 6-3 winner over Emma Navarro, in the quarter-finals. Alexandrova recorded her second win over Swiatek, following a 2021 victory in Melbourne. Swiatek had won their three matches since. “We played quite