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Messi nets twice as Argentina books trip to Brazil
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Argentina qualified for the 2014 World Cup with a 5-2 win at Paraguay on Tuesday, becoming the first South American team beside host Brazil to earn a spot at the tournament.
Lionel Messi converted two penalties, while Sergio Aguero, Angel di Maria and Maxi Rodriguez also scored for Argentina, which sealed its World Cup berth with two games to spare.
Ariel Nunez and Roque Santa Cruz netted for Paraguay, which knew going into the game that its World Cup hopes had been ended by results earlier in the day.
Messi said it was good to qualify but there was still a lot of work to do if they wanted to win the World Cup.
“There are seven matches (to win) a World Cup and you’ve got to be 100 percent, you can’t make a mistake or you’ll remain out of it,” Messi said.
“We have passed tough tests, beating some top teams but there’s a long way to go to becoming world champions, we still lack some things,” added Messi.
Messi is the joint top scorer in the nine-nation group with Uruguay’s Luis Suarez on 10.
Uruguay had a 2-0 home win over Colombia to move into fifth place, behind fourth-placed Ecuador on goal difference. The top four teams qualify directly for the World Cup while the fifth team enters a further intercontinental playoff.
Edinson Cavani scored in the 77th for Uruguay, and Cristian Stuani added another three minutes later
Colombia’s defeat prevented it from sealing its World Cup berth and it remains second, three points behind Argentina. Colombia is assured of finishing no lower than fifth, as is third-placed Chile, which did not play on Tuesday.
Venezuela won 3-2 at home over Peru, keeping alive its qualification hopes, sitting three points behind fifth-placed Uruguay.
Tuesday’s results meant Peru was also eliminated from World Cup calculations, as was Bolivia, which frustrated Ecuador by securing a 1-1 home draw.
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