Lionel Messi marked his first game as Argentina captain with a 1-0 win over Venezuela in a friendly encounter played before thousands of delirious fans in the Indian city of Kolkata on Friday. The 24-year-old Barcelona striker enthralled the crowd at the 120,000-capacity Salt Lake Stadium with his dribbles and magical left foot, bringing the fans to their feet every time he touched the ball.
It was from a Messi corner that full-back Nicolas Otamendi headed in the game's only goal on the 67th minute. "Messi is a great player," said Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella after what was his first match in charge of the two-time World Cup winners. "He is extraordinary with the ball. His every move is watched closely, still he manages to pull off those amazing feats. We are lucky to have the best player in the world in our ranks."
Messi came close to scoring twice in an entertaining first-half, while Angel Di Maria failed to convert a Messi assist in the ninth minute despite having only Venezuela goalkeeper Rafael Romo to beat. Venezuela provided more of a threat after the break, with Sergio Romero forced into action to deny Cesar Gonzalez. That helped ease the anxiety of Sabella, who was looking to get off to a good start after replacing Sergio Batista as coach in the wake of Argentina's disappointing performance at the Copa America on home soil in July.
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