MONTEVIDEO: Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick to overtake Pele as the top international goal-scorer in South American football history on Thursday as Argentina cruised to a 3-0 victory over Bolivia in their 2022 World Cup qualifier.

Messi pounced for his 77th, 78th and 79th international goals to keep Argentina firmly on course for a place at next year’s finals in Qatar against a Bolivia team languishing near the foot of the table.

Meanwhile, leaders Brazil counted on Neymar to secure their eighth win in eight matches, an easy 2-0 victory over Peru in Recife.

Brazil have 24 points and second-placed Argentina 18, both with eight matches played, one less that the other rivals after their ‘superclasico’ on Sunday was suspended due to Covid-19 protocols. FIFA has yet to decide whether that match will be replayed.

Earlier, Uruguay moved into third place in the standings with 15 points after an injury-time winner from Gaston Pereiro gave them a 1-0 win over Ecuador in Montevideo.

Ecuador are fourth on 13 points, level with Colombia who advanced up the table on Thursday with a convincing 3-1 win over Chile in Barranquilla after a great performance by striker Miguel Borja who scored twice.

Paraquay boosted their qualification hopes with a 2-1 victory over Venezuela in Asuncion to go to sixth in the table with 11 points.

Peru are seventh place, with eight points while Venezuela are on the bottom of the table with four points.

South American World Cup qualifiers are scheduled to have another three rounds in October, which could trigger another war with European clubs that don’t want their players to travel to the region due to demands for quarantine upon their return. Except for Argentina and Colombia, no South American team managed to bring their Premier League players for the international window.

The top four teams in South American qualifiers get direct spots at next year’s World Cup in Qatar, and the fifth-place team will go into an intercontinental playoff.

Few expected Argentina not to cruise against ninth-placed Bolivia at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, even after the team lost four England-based players for the encounter; goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, defender Cristian Romero, midfielder Giovanni Lo Celso and winger Emiliano Buendia have already returned.

But Messi made all the difference.

The 34-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward, making his 153rd appearance for Argentina, drew level with Pele’s longstanding mark of 77 goals in the 14th minute, nutmegging a defender and then curling a sublime shot past Bolivia goalkeeper Carlos Lampe.

The Argentina captain then moved one clear of Pele in the 64th minute with his second of the night, surging into the Bolivian box and playing a one-two with Lautaro Martinez before tucking away a finish from close range.

Messi completed the seventh international hat-trick of his career two minutes from time, burying a rebound from close range after a shot from the edge of the area was only parried by Lampe.

“I’ve waited a long time for this,” an emotional Messi said afterwards. “Now I’m going to enjoy it, it’s a unique moment after waiting so long. I am very happy,” he added.

The former Barcelona star’s great rival Cristiano Ronaldo holds the outright record for goals scored in international football with 111 from 180 games

A tearful Messi also celebrated with fans, who took their seats in an Argentinean stadium for the first time in 20 months due to the pandemic. He carried the Copa America trophy won against Brazil in July, Argentina’s first major title in 28 years.

“Messi is leaving a legacy to all players of the national team,” coach Lionel Scaloni said about the record. “I am proud to have him as a player.”

Neymar was the key figure at the Arena Pernambuco, assisting Everton Ribeiro in the 14th minute and scoring his own from close range in the 40th. But he was still upset at the end of the match, despite overtaking Roamrio as the Selecao’s top goal-scorer in World Cup qualifiers, with 12 goals.

“I don’t know what else I need to do with this shirt for people to respect Neymar,” he said. Local media accused the striker of being out of shape in the 1-0 win at Chile last week, which apparently stimulated him to walk around shirtless during trainings to show he is fit.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2021