CARACAS, Sept 3 ― Argentina extended their unbeaten run to 21 games today with a comfortable 3-1 win over Venezuela in their World Cup qualifier in Caracas.

Venezuela had beaten Argentina only once in 14 previous World Cup qualifiers and their hopes of doing it again on Thursday were snuffed out when Luis Adrian Martinez was shown a straight red card for a foul on Lionel Messi after half an hour.

Argentina then took complete control and got the opener just seconds before half time when Lautaro Martinez took a neat pass from Giovani Lo Celso and slipped the ball under the advancing keeper.

With a man advantage the visitors had most of the ball in the second half and added two more goals in the 71st and 74th minutes through substitutes Joaquin Correa and Angel Correa.

Yeferson Soteldo scored a consolation penalty for Venezuela in stoppage time. ― Reuters