Argentina Defeat Venezuela Without Lionel Messi

The decisive moment in this match came in the 31st minute. Álvarez and Martínez displayed excellent coordination near the box, which drew the Venezuelan defenders out of position and then they passed to Lo Celso.

Argentina vs Venezuela: Despite the absence of Lionel Messi, Argentina defeated Venezuela 1-0 in an international friendly match played at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium on Friday. Giovanni Lo Celso was the hero of the victory in this encounter. Argentina's attack, led by Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez, was aggressive throughout the match, while full-back Nahuel Molina impressed fans with his energy on the right flank.

The decisive moment in this match came in the 31st minute. Alvarez and Martinez showed excellent coordination near the box, which drew the Venezuelan defenders out of position and then passed to Lo Celso. The midfielder, with great composure, took a precise left-footed shot that found the net, evading goalkeeper Wuilker Faríñez. With this, Argentina took a 1-0 lead.

Giovanni Lo Celso scored a brilliant goal in the first half to give the team the lead. His goal was enough to secure an easy victory for the reigning world champions in front of approximately 15,000 spectators. After taking the lead, Lionel Scaloni's team controlled the pace of the game in their characteristic style.

Argentina dominated through quick transitions and short passes. Meanwhile, Venezuela could not create any clear chances. A few attempts from a distance failed to trouble goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. Although Argentina did not increase their goal tally in the second half, the team did not appear to be in any trouble.

Notably, this friendly match was used to test the team before the busy international calendar. The presence of young players like Alejandro Garnacho and Enzo Fernandez added more vigour in the final stages. Lionel Messi did not play in this match as a precaution due to muscle tightness. However, he cheered on his teammates from the stands during this time.