Messi is irreplaceable, but Argentina may have uncovered something even more important against Zambia

Messi returns, and so does the magic. After the drab showing against Mauritania, Argentina rediscovered its identity by routing Zambia with an exceptional Lionel Messi and a team in which more and more players are emerging to secure the generational handoff for a side that once again looks like one of the best.

From the opening minute, the gulf in class was impossible to miss. With long passes, Argentina gradually pulled apart the structure of its African opponent. On one of those deliveries, Leandro Paredes found Messi, who cut inside and laid it off for Julián Álvarez to score the first.

Little else happened over the next stretch until just before halftime. With the Zambian side exhausted from chasing shadows, Messi appeared again to show he remains on another planet. After combining with Alexis Mac Allister, the Rosario star arrived near goal and, with a finish that has become his trademark, scored the second and capped an almost perfect individual first half.

In the second half, Thiago Almada’s emergence was the big news. The Atlético Madrid player looked entirely comfortable in the role that had been so difficult to fill since Ángel Di María’s departure, and one that now seems likely to belong to a player who already knows what it means to win a World Cup.

With the lead secured and the game under control, Argentina began to cut loose. Almada himself transformed the attack and won a penalty that brought calm to the home bench. In a huge captain’s gesture, Messi handed the spot kick to Nicolás Otamendi, who stroked it across goal with composure for what will probably be his final goal for the national team on Argentine soil.

With a more than convincing scoreline, Lionel Scaloni allowed himself to rotate and test several young players. One of them is a huge talent who is no longer just a prospect, but the real thing: Valentín Barco. The fourth goal came from his feet, as he forced an own goal with a give-and-go inside the box that Chanda turned into his own net.

In the final minute, Barco himself put the finishing touch on Argentina’s night with a superb goal set up by Nico González. In doing so, the Colo kicked the door down and showed he is the man expected to take over on the left flank, a spot that badly needs a player like him.

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Argentina

• Emiliano Martínez (73')
• Tagliafico (53')
• Cristian Romero
• Nahuel Molina
• Otamendi (69')
• Enzo Fernández (73')
• Alexis Mac Allister (52')
• Paredes (53')
• Julián Álvarez (69')
• Almada (73')
• Messi
• Substitutes
• Mastantuono
• Giuliano (69')
• José López
• Marcos Acuña
• Exequiel Palacios
• De Paul (52')
• Rulli
• Gianluca Prestianni
• Musso (73')
• Nico Paz (73')
• Agustín Giay
• Nico Gonzalez (53')
• Maximo Perrone (73')
• Valentín Barco (53')
• Lucas Martínez Quarta (69')

Zambia

• 1 Willard Mwanza
• 21 Dominic Chanda
• 3 Obino Chisala
• 5 Frederick Mwimanzi (87')
• Tinklar Sinkala
• 11 Albert Kangwanda (76')
• 10 Fashion Sakala (60')
• 15 Given Kalusa (59')
• 28 David Simukonda (92')
• 12 Wilson Chisala (87')
• Kingstone Mutandwa (59')
• Substitutes
• Mangani Banda
• 14 Owen Mwamba
• 25 Owen Tembo (59')
• 20 Patson Daka (59')
• Chanka Zimba (60')
• Kondwani Chiboni (87')
• Victor Chabu
• 19 Frederick Mulambia (87')
• 20 Kelvin Mwanza
• 23 Pascal Phiri (76')
• 10 Prince Mumba
• 3 Brian Chilimina

Substitutions

Rodrigo De Paul (52', Alexis Mac Allister), Nico González (53', Nicolás Tagliafico), Valentín Barco (53', Leandro Paredes), Owen Tembo (59', Kingstone Mutandwa), Patson Daka (59', Given Kalusa), Chanka Zimba (60', Fashion Sakala), Lucas Martínez Quarta (69', Nicolás Otamendi), Giuliano Simeone (69', Julián Alvarez), Juan Musso (73', Emiliano Martínez), Máximo Perrone (73', Enzo Fernández), Nico Paz (73', Thiago Almada), Pascal Phiri (76', Albert Kangwanda), Kondwani Chiboni (87', Wilson Chisala), Frederick Mulambia (87', Frederick Mwimanzi)

Goals

1-0, 3': Julián Álvarez, 2-0, 42': Messi, 3-0, 49': Otamendi, 4-0, 67': Dominic Chanda, 5-0, 93': Valentín Barco

Cards

Referee: Alexis Herrera
Owen Tembo (88',Yellow)