Messi & Lautaro Goals Guide Argentina to 2-0 Friendly Win Over Angola.

Messi & Lautaro Goals Guide Argentina to 2-0 Friendly Win Over Angola.

Angola vs Argentina Highlights, International Friendly: Messi and Lautaro Goals Seal Comfortable 2-0 Win for La Albiceleste.

                    Luanda, November 14, 2025 – World champions Argentina continued their post-World Cup glow with a routine yet stylish 2-0 victory over a spirited Angola side in an international friendly at the iconic Estádio 11 de Novembro.

            Lautaro Martínez opened the scoring in the first half with a clinical header, before Lionel Messi – in what was possibly his final appearance on African soil – sealed the result with a trademark late strike in the 82nd minute. The result extended Argentina’s unbeaten run to 18 matches across all competitions and gave Lionel Scaloni valuable minutes to several youngsters ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers resumption in March.

Played in front of a raucous 50,000-strong crowd that turned the Angolan capital’s national stadium into a carnival of colour, the match served as Argentina’s first-ever senior fixture on African soil against an African opponent outside of World Cup tournaments. For Angola, ranked 92nd in the world, it was a historic night – their first meeting with the reigning Copa América and World Cup holders – and Palancas Negras gave a good account of themselves, especially after the interval, without ever truly threatening Emiliano Martínez’s goal.

Pre-Match Context and Team News

Scaloni fielded what was essentially an “A-minus” lineup, resting several European-based stars who had midweek club commitments while still naming Messi, Lautaro Martínez, Alexis Mac Allister, and Giovani Lo Celso in the starting XI. Ángel Di María, Julián Álvarez, and Enzo Fernández were all left back in Buenos Aires. Angola coach Pedro Gonçalves, aware of the gulf in quality, packed the midfield with five players and looked to hit on the counter through the pace of Zito Luvumbo (Rayo Vallecano) and Gilberto.

Argentina XI (4-3-3): E. Martínez – Montiel, Pezzella, Lisandro Martínez, Acuña – Lo Celso (Kevin Mac Allister 60'), Alexis Mac Allister (Perrone 85'), Almada (Buendía 70') – Nico González (Prestianni 86'), Lautaro Martínez (Panichelli 85'), Messi (c) (Prestianni 86')

Angola XI (5-3-2): Neblú – Tó Carneiro, Kialonda Gaspar, Buatu Mananga, Eddie Afonso, Nurio Fortuna (Banza 67') – Fredy, Keliano, Bruno Paz – Luvumbo, Mabululu

First Half: Argentina Boss the Ball, Lautaro Breaks the Deadlock

The opening exchanges were exactly as expected: Argentina monopolising possession (eventually finishing the game with 68%), stroking the ball around confidently on a perfect Luanda evening (28°C at kick-off). Angola sat deep, the three centre-backs forming a solid wall and the wing-backs tucking in to create a compact 5-3-2 out of possession.

Messi, wearing the captain’s armband and the iconic No. 10, dropped deep repeatedly to collect from Pezzella and Lisandro, looking in playful mood from the start. In the 8th minute he threaded a delicious outside-of-the-boot pass to Nico González, whose low cross was inches away from Lautaro’s outstretched boot.

Angola’s first sight of goal arrived in the 14th minute when Zito Luvumbo used his electric pace to get beyond Montiel, but his cut-back was intercepted by the alert Lisandro Martínez. The home crowd erupted – any touch on the ball from Luvumbo or Mabululu was greeted with roars.

The breakthrough came in the 28th minute. Giovani Lo Celso, enjoying the freedom of the left half-space, clipped a perfect cross towards the back post. Lautaro Martínez, timing his run to perfection between Buatu and Gaspar, rose highest and powered a header back across Neblú and into the far corner. 1-0 Argentina. It was Lautaro’s 31st international goal, moving him level with Gabriel Batistuta in fourth place on Argentina’s all-time scorers list.

Messi nearly made it 2-0 five minutes later. After a swift exchange with Alexis Mac Allister, the ball broke kindly 22 yards out; Messi took one touch and unleashed a trademark left-foot curler that crashed against the post with Neblú beaten. The rebound fell to Lautaro, whose volley was blocked heroically by Eddie Afonso.

Angola grew into the half towards the end. In the 41st minute, Keliano’s driving run from midfield ended with a fierce 25-yard drive that Emiliano Martínez pushed over the bar at full stretch. From the resulting corner, Buatu’s header looped just wide. Halftime: Angola 0-1 Argentina.

Second Half: Angola Fight Back Bravely, Messi Kills the Game

Whatever Pedro Gonçalves said at the break clearly worked. Angola emerged with far greater intensity and belief. For the first 20 minutes of the second period, the Palancas Negras were the better side, pushing Argentina back and forcing a series of corners and throw-ins in dangerous areas.

In the 53rd minute, Luvumbo again scorched past Montiel and pulled the ball back for Mabululu, whose first-time shot was charged down by Pezzella. Two minutes later, substitute Banza (on for the injured Nurio) whipped in a vicious cross that Gilberto met with a glancing header – just past the far post with Dibu Martínez rooted.

Scaloni, sensing the shift, made his first change on the hour: Kevin Mac Allister replaced Lo Celso for a senior debut, joining his brother Alexis on the pitch – a proud family moment captured by photographers as the siblings embraced.

Argentina were struggling to find rhythm. Between the 46th and 75th minutes they failed to register a single shot on target, and the home crowd sensed an upset. But class is permanent.

In the 82nd minute, the moment the travelling Argentine fans had waited for. Messi picked the ball up 30 yards from goal, exchanged a quick one-two with Lautaro on the edge of the box, and when the return pass ricocheted kindly off a defender, there was only one outcome. Messi took one touch to set himself and rifled a low left-foot drive across Neblú into the bottom far corner. 2-0. Bedlam among the 3,000 Argentine supporters who had made the long journey; respectful applause from the Angolan fans for the little genius. It was Messi’s 110th international goal and his 57th from outside the box for Argentina – another record.

Scaloni immediately withdrew his captain to a standing ovation, along with Lautaro, giving valuable minutes to youngsters Gianluca Prestianni (17), Nicolás Panichelli (19), and Máximo Perrone (21). Four minutes of added time passed without incident.

Full-time: Angola 0-2 Argentina
Post-Match Reaction and Key Statistics

Lionel Scaloni: “It was a useful test. Angola pressed us very well in the second half and made us suffer a bit, which is exactly what we need ahead of the qualifiers. Happy for the young players who got minutes and, of course, for Leo and Lautaro – they showed again why they are the best.”

Pedro Gonçalves (Angola coach): “We competed for 90 minutes against the world champions. The first goal came from a moment of quality, the second from the greatest player ever. But my players can leave with their heads high – we created chances and showed African football is growing.”

Player Ratings (Argentina) E. Martínez 7 | Montiel 6 | Pezzella 7 | Lisandro 8 | Acuña 7 | Lo Celso 7 | Alexis Mac Allister 7 | Almada 6.5 | Nico González 6.5 | Lautaro 8 (MotM) | Messi 8.5

Key Stats
Possession: Angola 32% – 68% Argentina
Shots (on target): Angola 9 (3) – 14 (5) Argentina
xG: Angola 0.92 – 2.18 Argentina
Passes completed: Angola 278 – 712 Argentina
Fouls: Angola 12 – 8 Argentina

Argentina return to South America unbeaten in 2025 (W8 D2) and will resume CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying away to Uruguay in March. Angola, meanwhile, can take huge encouragement into 2026 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying – holding the world champions for large spells is no small achievement.

For one night in Luanda, African soil witnessed the magic of Lionel Messi one last time. The beautiful game, in all its global glory.