DHAKA: Argentina had a panic when Lionel Messi had to be substituted after incurring a back injury during a 1-0 win over strong Honduras in a Copa America Centenario warm-up friendly on Friday (May 27).
Messi walked off in pain in the 64th minute in San Juan after a fight with Honduras replacement Oliver Morazan 10 days before Argentina's opening Group D match against Chile,Channel Newsasia reports on Saturday (May 28).
The team later dispelled fears of a serious injury, saying on their Twitter account that Messi had ‘suffered bruising on the left of his lower back and ribs.’
Gonzalo Higuain scored the only goal for Argentina.
In other warm-up matches for the June 3-26 tournament in the United States, Edinson Cavani struck twice as Uruguay overcame Trinidad and Tobago 3-1 and title holders Chile were upset 2-1 by Jamaica.
Higuain struck after half an hour for Argentina when he received a low cross from the left by Marcos Rojo with his back to goal, turned central defender Maynor Figueroa and chipped left-footed over goalkeeper Donis Escober.
Argentina will meet Chile in Santa Clara, California, on June 6 and also face Bolivia and Panama in Group D.
Uruguay, without the injured Luis Suarez, came from a goal down after Jomal Williams had put the Trinidadians ahead in the seventh minute in Montevideo.
Cavani equalised with a 26th-minute penalty for a foul by Weslie John on midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro and put Uruguay ahead in the 39th with a shot from the right at a corner.
BDST: 1108 HRS, May 28, 2016
SAS/AKA
