BUENOS AIRES — Lionel Messi kept Argentina top of the World Cup qualifiers in South America with a masterful two-goal performance in its 3-0 home victory over Uruguay Friday. Messi took his tally in the qualifiers to six with a brilliant free kick as Argentina continued its progression after a wobbly start where it was defeated in Venezuela and held to a draw at home to Bolivia. Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella has seen his side pick up 13 points in five matches since, looking more balanced with each match and improving in defense behind a quality attack featuring Messi, Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain and Angel Di Maria. “We have very good players who had an excellent match, they played like a team,” Sabella told reporters, adding there are no adequate words to describe Messi. Argentina beat Colombia in November to start its resurgence, but it was also a key match for the defeated side. Colombia sacked Leonel Alvarez after the loss, replacing him with Argentina's 2006 World Cup coach Jose Pekerman, whose revived side has won its last three matches in style scoring nine goals. Radamel Falcao scored both goals for a tally of five overall as an impressive Colombia team beat Paraguay 2-0, while Felipe Caicedo also bagged a brace in Ecuador's 3-1 home win over Chile. Colombia and Ecuador, coached by Colombian Reinaldo Rueda who steered Honduras to the last World Cup Finals, are one point behind Argentina in second and third place. Uruguay is fourth, five points off the pace at the halfway stage in the nine-nation, 16-match campaign. Chile is fifth level on points with Uruguay and is at home to Argentina Tuesday but will be without defender Pablo Contreras and midfielder Arturo Vidal who were sent off Friday. Venezuela, in sixth place after a bye Friday, is on 11 points, while Peru did its hopes some good with a 1-1 draw away to Bolivia at high altitude in La Paz that put it on eight. Bolivia and Paraguay, who played at the last four World Cups and reached the quarterfinals for the first time in 2010 in South Africa, are in trouble in the bottom two places. — Reuters
