Lionel Messi came off the bench and converted a penalty in Argentina’s final World Cup tune-up friendly Tuesday, a 3-0 defeat of Iceland in Auburn, Ala.

Subbing in during the 70th minute, Messi set up a penalty kick with his first touch of the match, passing a throughball to Lautaro Martinez, who was taken out by Iceland goalkeeper Elias Olafsson.

In the 72nd minute, Messi buried the PK into the roof of the net, doubling Argentina’s lead to 2-0 on the 117th international goal of his career.

Messi, 38, missed Argentina’s first friendly against Honduras on Saturday as he continued his recovery from left hamstring soreness which forced him to prematurely exit Inter Miami’s final match before the World Cup break on May 24.

With his World Cup status seemingly certain, Messi is set to simultaneously set a record this month alongside Cristiano Ronaldo when he appears in his sixth career World Cup.

No one has played in more World Cup matches than Messi, who has appeared in 26, one more than Germany’s Lothar Matthaus. Messi’s 13 career World Cup goals are tied for fourth-most, three behind German record-holder Miroslav Klose (16).

Valentin Barco (eighth minute) and Thiago Almeda (86th) also scored for Argentina, who outscored their opponents 5-0 in the final tune-up matches entering their World Cup title defense.

Argentina’s Group J schedule at the upcoming World Cup features matches against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City, Mo.; against Austria on June 22 at Arlington, Texas; and against Jordan on June 27 at Arlington.

–Field Level Media

Dustin May pitched six stellar innings for his first win in nearly two months and Alec Burleson hit a two-run homer as the visiting St. Louis Cardinals extended their winning streak to five games with a 7-0 victory over the New York Mets on Tuesday night.

May (4-6) earned his first win since April 21 by scattering four hits. After going 0-4 with a 3.86 ERA in his previous seven starts, May struck out six and walked one.

Rookie JJ Wetherholt hit a two-run single and Jordan Walker rapped an RBI double to highlight a four-run third inning off New York starter Freddy Peralta (4-5). Lars Nootbaar added an RBI groundout to cap the big inning for the Cardinals, who also ended a five-game road losing streak to the Mets.

Ivan Herrera reached base five times, including three hits, and scored three times.

Herrera was hit by Peralta in his first two plate appearances. After the second one, he scored on Walker’s double to left for a 3-0 lead in the third.

In the fifth, Herrera singled and scored when Burleson sent a 2-1 curveball into the left field seats. In the seventh, Herrera poked a leadoff double before trotting home on Burleson’s double off Joey Gerber.

Before the Cardinals scored four times, May stranded rookie A.J. Ewing at third by striking out Marcus Semien and Brett Baty. He also retired rookie Carson Benge on a double play to end the third and was aided by center fielder Nathan Church crashing into the fence to rob Semien of a two-run double to end the fourth.

Church had three hits, including a double in the third and made his key defensive play after missing the past 15 games with a strained left shoulder.

Justin Bruihl followed May with two innings and Matt Svanson completed the Cardinals’ third shutout with a 1-2-3 ninth.

After winning seven of their previous 10, the Mets were blanked for the seventh time this season and second time against the Cardinals.

Peralta allowed a season-worst six runs on six hits in six innings. The right-hander struck out five and walked two.

–Field Level Media

Mexico City children will get an unexpected day off from school on Thursday, as president Claudia Sheinbaum ordered the suspension of classes in an effort to minimize traffic on the day the Mexican national team plays the World Cup opener against South Africa.

Speaking Tuesday, Sheinbaum also told federal employees to work from home on Thursday, with the exception of essential services and those involved with World Cup matters.

The Mexico-South Africa game will kick off at 1 p.m. local time, the first of 104 World Cup games to be spread across Mexico, Canada and the United States over the next six weeks.

Sheinbaum said the decision regarding Thursday closures was made in an effort toward “improving conditions for mobility, road safety and accessibility, both for Mexico City inhabitants and visiting tourists, on the occasion of the inauguration of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.”

She added, “The private and social sectors in Mexico City are urged to implement remote working arrangements for all non-essential administrative activities.”

The Mexican national team plays a night game on June 18 against South Korea in Zapopan, Mexico, then concludes play in Group A against the Czech Republic in Mexico City on the night of June 24.

–Field Level Media