Lionel Messi and Lautaro Martínez combined to secure a 2-0 victory for Argentina in a friendly played at the Estadio 11 de Novembro in Luanda. Martínez opened the scoring just before half-time after a precise pass from Messi, and the pair switched roles late in the second half when Martínez set up Messi for the clinching strike.
Martínez beat goalkeeper Hugo Marques at his near post with a low finish in the 44th minute to give the visitors the lead. In the 82nd minute Martínez supplied the assist and Messi curled his shot into the far corner to make it 2-0. Both players were withdrawn from the field before the final whistle.
The fixture doubled as part of Angola’s 50th independence anniversary celebrations and drew a strong local turnout. On paper the result was expected: Argentina sit near the top of the FIFA rankings while Angola remain well down the list, a gap reflected in the scoreboard.
Argentina, the reigning world champions, earned their place at the 2026 World Cup through CONMEBOL qualifying, finishing top of the South American group after a campaign that produced 12 wins, two draws and four defeats. They finished nine points clear of Ecuador in second place.
Angola’s World Cup history is limited: they reached the finals once, in 2006, when they edged Nigeria on head-to-head results in qualifying. Since that appearance the Black Antelopes have not returned to football’s biggest stage, falling short in subsequent qualification cycles, including the 2026 campaign where they won two of ten matches in their group.
The friendly provided Argentina with a final warm-up and an opportunity to rotate personnel while offering Angola a high-profile test on home soil as they continue rebuilding and targeting future qualification attempts.
