Lionel Messi scored twice in Argentina’s 2-0 win at Peru in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday, playing the entire match for his national team.

The 36-year-old appeared fit after he was sidelined for several matches with his club Inter Miami because of muscular pain.

Messi increased his total to 106 goals in 178 international appearances, moving within two of Iran’s Ali Daei for second on the career list behind Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo at 127.

The defending World Cup champion never faced risks at Lima’s National Stadium against a Peruvian team that has yet to score in four qualifying matches. Argentina’s confident performance could be traced to Messi finally playing as a starter and appearing fully healthy.

The 36-year-old made it 1-0 after a counterattack in the 32nd minute. Enzo Fernandez passed to Nico Gonzalez on the left. A low cross found Messi at the edge of the box, and he shot it to the left angle of goalkeeper Pedro Gallese.

Security personnel stop a young Messi fan as the Argentina captain (second from right) looks on during the World Cup qualifier against Peru at Estadio Nacional de Lima in Lima on Tuesday. Getty Images

Messi scored again 10 minutes later after Enzo Fernandez found him nearly at the same spot. Messi shot it on Gallese’s right corner. He later had a goal disallowed for a low margin offside caught by video review in the 57th minute.

“Yes, we have a good group and a good environment in our dressing room and things are much easier. We enjoy being together and playing together,” Messi said.

“After we won the World Cup we got confidence, we are more united and firm. I hope we can keep growing.

“Comparing ourselves to the Barcelona I played in, which is the best team in history, is a lot, but I think we are very close because of what we have been demonstrating.”

Peruvian and Argentinian fans tried to invade the field after the match to hug Messi, who led the World Cup champions to their eighth straight victory since they won last year’s title in Qatar.

Last Thursday, Messi played for almost an entire half of Argentina’s 1-0 victory over Paraguay.

Elsewhere, Venezuela beat Chile 3-0. Yeferson Soteldo opened the scoring shortly before the break, Salomon Rondon added a goal in the 72nd minute, and Darwin Machis scored seven minutes later. Last week, Venezuela earlier had a 1-1 draw against Brazil.

Ecuador and Colombia had a scoreless draw, and Paraguay beat Bolivia 1-0 on
Antonio Sanabria’s goal in the 69th minute.

Argentina lead South American qualifying with 12 points in four matches. Uruguay, Brazil and Venezuela have seven points and are separated by goal difference. Colombia have six points, and Ecuador, Paraguay and Chile have four each. Peru have one point and Bolivia have zero.

Neymar adds to Brazil woes

Montevideo: Brazil took two serious blows in their World Cup qualifying match against Uruguay, as they lost 2-0 and then saw their star forward Neymar leave the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo in tears following an injury to his left knee.

Brazil captain Casemiro said Neymar’s injury on Tuesday seemed “serious” as Brazil put on their worst performance under new coach Fernando Diniz.

Darwin Nunez who headed in the first goal for the hosts and Nicolas de la Cruz made it 2-0.