EAST RUTHERFORD - Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick as Argentina beat arch-rivals Brazil 4-3 in an end-to-end friendly , dealing a blow to the Brazilians as they wrapped up their preparations for the London Olympics. A young Brazil side facing a more experienced Argentina took the lead in the 23rd minute when a quickly taken free-kick found Romulo, who banged in the goal as Argentina's defenders appealed in vain for offside. Argentina equalized in the 31st minute after Gonzalo Higuain robbed Brazilian captain Sandro and fed a defense-splitting pass to Messi who shot low into the corner of the goal. Within three minutes, the diminutive striker ran clear again to put Argentina 2-1 up, collecting a pass from Angel di Maria and rounding Brazilian goalkeeper Rafael Cabral. Brazil got back in the game the second half when Oscar scored from close range after 56 minutes and then reclaimed the lead when Hulk took advantage of a fumble by Argentine goalkeeper Sergio Romero to score. But Argentina stormed back quickly as Federico Fernandez headed in from a corner in the 75th minute before Messi scored the best goal of the game with a trademark run and unstoppable shot from outside the penalty area in the 84th minute. Argentina's coach paid tribute to Messi who in the past has been criticized for not repeating for the national side his brilliant form with Spanish giants Barcelona. "Thankfully for us, he's Argentine and can enjoy having him in our team," Alejandro Sabella told reporters. "He's an exceptional player who is going through an exceptional phase." Brazilian coach Mano Menezes was left scratching his head about Messi, World Player of the Year f or the last three years, who made the difference in a game in which Brazil created a string of scoring opportunities. "No one in the world has found a solution (to playing against him)," Menezes said. "He had four chances and scored three goals...Against some players you cannot give any space and perhaps we gave him too much." Brazil's Marcelo and Argentina's Ezequiel Lavezzi were sent off for an altercation in injury time. The game was played in front of a sell-out crowd of nearly 82,000 at Meadowlands Stadium, home of New York's two American football teams, the Giants and the Jets. The defeat was Brazil's second in less than a week after they lost 2-0 to Mexico last Sunday. But coach Menezes said he remained confident about the Olympics.
