Messi settled an even contest in the final minute, the Barcelona star picking up Ezequiel Lavezzi's pass before slaloming past four defenders and stroking the ball home into the corner of the net.

AC Milan playmaker Ronaldinho, back in the Brazil squad for the first time in 19 months, enjoyed a solid performance on his return to the team but failed to cap it with a goal as Sergio Romero enjoyed a good night in the Argentina goal.

Belgium eased to a 2-0 win over Russia in Voronezh.

Romelu Lukaku proved the difference between the two sides with a goal in each half, first tapping home after two minutes when Eden Hazard dispossessed Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev and centred for the Anderlecht striker.

Lukaku added his second 17 minutes from time with a low drive from just inside the area.

Bosnia-Herzegovina defeated Slovakia 3-2 in an entertaining encounter in Bratislava.

Filip Sebo fired Slovakia ahead after three minutes but Haris Medunjanin levelled shortly before the half-hour.

Miralem Pjanic fired Bosnia ahead after 50 minutes and Edin Dzeko made it 3-1 on the hour.

Peter Grajciar pulled one back for the hosts 24 minutes from time but that was the end of the scoring.

Roque Santa Cruz scored twice as Paraguay crushed Hong Kong 7-0.

The Manchester City forward opened the scoring for the World Cup quarter-finalists after just five minutes. Edgar Barreto added a second just after the half-hour before Santa Cruz completed his brace in the 33rd minute.

Nestor Ortigoza made it 4-0 two minutes into the second half and the midfielder scored again in the 54th minute. Late goals from Marcos Riveros and Cristian Riveros completed the rout.

Substitute Yang Xu headed home in stoppage time to hand China a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Latvia at Kunming Tuodong Stadium, while Oman suffered a 4-0 hammering at the hands of Belarus.

Oman fell behind after only five minutes when Alyaksandr Martynovich scored, and the 23-year-old defender added his second goal of the night six minutes later.

Vyacheslav Hleb added the third goal for Belarus after 35 minutes before Vitali Rodionov scored the fourth in the 57th minute.

Second-half goals from Luka Pejovic and Fatos Beciraj saw Montenegro to a 2-0 win over Azerbaijan.