World Cup - Messi magic and Higuain goals keep Argentina in charge

Striker Gonzalo Higuain scored twice as Argentina romped to a 3-0 home win over Venezuela to stay firmly in charge of the South American World Cup qualifiers.

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  Eurosport - Argentina's Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain and Ezaquiel Lavezzi celebrate against Venezuela during their World Cup qualifier (AFP)

Lionel Messi, who was in scintillating form and created a string of chances, converted a penalty between Higuain's goals and now leads the nine-nation group's scorers with nine.

Argentina are top of the group with 23 points from 10 matches, four points ahead of Colombia and six in front of Ecuador.
Higuain broke the deadlock in the 29th minute when Walter Montillo and Messi combined to put him through on the right and the striker steered his shot past Hernandez.
Messi increased Argentina's lead just before halftime with a penalty stuck firmly into the roof of the net after left back Gabriel Cichero had handled the ball.
It was almost one-way traffic in the first half with hardly any work for goalkeper Sergio Romero as Argentina peppered the Venezuela defence with chances, including a stinging shot from Messi that Hernandez could only push away.
Just before an hour was up, Argentina scored a brilliant third in a lightning-quick break from deep in their own half, Messi threading the ball into the box and Higuain darting in to tap past Hernandez.
Five minutes later, Venezuela created their best chance when Jose Salomon Rondon crossed low from the left after getting the better of Pablo Zabaleta but substitute Romulo Otero shot over the bar. Otero had another chance near the end which Romero saved.
Higuain blotted his copybook with a booking that keeps him out of Tuesday's visit to Bolivia but was substituted to a standing ovation.
Colombia crushed Bolivia 5-0 confirming they are Argentina's chief rivals to finish top of the South American World Cup qualifiers.
Scoring through five different players, the Colombian team underlined their improvement under former Argentina coach Jose Pekerman with a fifth win in six qualifiers.
Colombia climbed above Ecuador into second place in the nine-nation group with 19 points from nine matches.
Midfielder Macnelly Torres put Colombia ahead midway through the first half after slick winger Juan Cuadrado caused mayhem in the Bolivia defence with a run down the right.
Colombia dominated the first half but were unable to translate other chances into goals at the Metropolitano in the Caribbean city of Barranquilla.
Defender Carlos Valdez, strikers Teofilo Gutierrez and Radamel Falcao, notching his sixth goal of the competition, and substitute full back Pablo Armero completed the rout.
Substitute Edgar Benitez struck four minutes from time to snatch a 1-1 draw for struggling Paraguay away to Uruguay in a World Cup qualifier.
Luis Suarez had put the home side ahead four minutes earlier with a fine goal that looked to have breathed new life into 2010 semi-finalists Uruguay's campaign to reach Brazil 2014.
Benitez took advantage of a mistake in central defence by Uruguay captain Diego Lugano to latch onto the loose ball and shoot past Fernando Muslera in the 86th minute.
Suarez shot low inside the far corner from midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro's cross in the 82nd minute as Uruguay looked to end a run of four matches without a victory.
Uruguay have 13 points from 10 matches with Paraguay, quarter-finalists in 2010, still rooted to the bottom of the nine-nation South American group with eight.