LA PLATA (Argentina): Substitute Lionel Messi scored his 38th goal for Argentina as they breezed past Slovenia 2-0 in their final World Cup warm-up on Saturday.

Messi, his country’s second highest scorer after Gabriel Batistuta, had not found the net in an international since a 5-2 qualifying win over Paraguay in Asuncion in September.

Argentina’s captain began the match on the bench along with other key players like Sergio Aguero and Angel Di Maria, with coach Alejandro Sabella fearful of his squad being caught up in the spate of injuries affecting other World Cup finalists.

Sabella used the friendly at the Estadio Unico to test an alternative tactical plan with three at the back and five across the middle before changing things in the second half.

Winger Ricky Alvarez opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a low left-foot shot from the edge of the box but two minutes later midfielder Lucas Biglia came off after receiving a knock and was replaced by Hugo Campagnaro.

In the 76th minute Di Maria lobbed the ball from the edge of the box to the left where Aguero headed it down to Messi, who had come on for Alvarez in the 57th, and he dinked it between two defenders and the goalkeeper.

England came up against a resilient Honduras side reduced to 10 men for the last 20 minutes and found themselves short on ideas about how to break them down as they were held to a 0-0 draw in their last warm-up match.

England striker Daniel Sturridge had the best chance of the game after 22 minutes but his weak left-foot shot missed the far post and he was guilty of wasting two other good opportunities before a crowd of 45,379 at the Sun Life Stadium.

The match was suspended for 43 minutes in the first half due to the threat of lightning although in the second period the sparks were on the pitch with Honduras reduced to 10 men when Brayan Beckeles caught Leighton Baines in the head with his arm.

But England failed to capitalise on the one-man advantage in the closing stages leaving manager Roy Hodgson to put a brave face on their second draw in Miami after Wednesday’s exciting 2-2 result against Ecuador in front of half as many fans.

A late Dries Mertens goal gave Belgium a 1-0 victory over Tunisia in their last friendly in Brussels, ensuring they go to Brazil on a high note after a match temporarily halted by hail.

The home side dominated possession, but for much of the encounter they barely tested Tunisia’s keeper and had only a few tame shots and a couple of missed half-chances even after the visitors had a man sent off with almost half an hour to play.

Only in the 89th minute did substitute Nacer Chadli find Mertens in space in the penalty area and he calmly stroked it in with his right foot.

Diego Costa’s hamstring withstood 74 minutes on a hot and humid Washington afternoon just six days before Spain open the defence of their World Cup title. He showed bursts of speed, jostled with defenders and drew a penalty when he was the knocked to the ground by the goalkeeper.

Spain beat El Salvador 2-0 in their final tune-up, with Costa showing no hitch in his step from the strained right hamstring that limited him to nine minutes in the Champions League final on May 24.

David Villa scored twice amid numerous near-misses for the Spaniards.

The Atletico Madrid striker netted a header in the 60th minute and added the clincher in the 87th minute, producing his 57th and 58th career goals for the Spanish national side.

Spanish goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas rescued Spain in the 49th by grabbing a loose ball in the heart of the penalty area after an errant Spanish backline pass.

Villa slammed a shot off Salvadoran goalkeeper Derby Carrillo’s chest in the 53rd minute and had a dangerous ball deflected over the top in the 58th minute, setting the stage for his opening goal.

Jozy Altidore scored twice as the United States completed their preparations with a 2-1 win over Nigeria at EverBank Field in Jacksonville.

Altidore ended his six-month goal drought for club and country with a goal in each half to send the US to Brazil on the back of three successive friendly victories.

Nigeria forward Victor Moses spoiled Tim Howard’s hopes of a clean sheet in his 100th international appearance with a late consolation from the penalty spot.

Cameroon edged Moldova 1-0 as Edgar Salli’s first-half goal decided the friendly international.

Salli scored in the 30th minute to give Cameroon a winning farewell in Yaounde.

Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2014