The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner curled in from the edge of the area after just 81 seconds following slack defending by the Socceroos.
BEIJING, CHINA - Lionel Messi scored after barely a minute as he guided Argentina to a 2-0 friendly win over Australia in Beijing on Thursday evening.
Messi and fellow Argentina veteran Angel di Maria both drew saves from Australia stopper Mat Ryan at the start of the second half. Messi is idolised in football-mad China, whose underperforming national team and struggling domestic league are chronic sources of disappointment. They had braved afternoon temperatures of nearly 40 degrees Celsius to gather at Beijing's newly renovated Workers' Stadium a full three hours before the 8 pm kick-off.
He toasted the win in a "difficult game" for his team, adding: "We continued to compete, which is the best thing this team has in its DNA." But the local excitement around the Argentine legend ratcheted up in recent days as the sell-out match drew nearer.Hundreds of fans massed outside the team's luxury hotel and lined heavily guarded streets in the hope of catching a glimpse of their hero.
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