Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuaín and Carlos Tévez all hit first-half efforts as the world and European champions experienced a rare defeat.

World and European champions Spain were made to taste a rare defeat as they were comprehensively beaten by Argentina in Buenos Aires.
Fresh from winning 4-0 away against Liechtenstein in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying Group I on Friday, Vicente del Bosque's charges were brought down to earth by first-half efforts from Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuaín and Carlos Tévez. Fernando Llorente responded late on for the visitors, but the last word fell to Sergio Agüero, who restored Argentina's three-goal advantage.

Spain's troubles began ten minutes in as the familiar face of FC Barcelona's Messi chipped superbly over goalkeeper Pepe Reina after collecting a Tévez through ball. Moments later Tévez fed Real Madrid CF's Higuaín to double the advantage, and the Manchester City FC forward added the third himself on 34 minutes following a slip by Reina.

Argentina coach Sergio Batista can hardly have hoped for a better opening period, and his troops made light of Llorente's 84th-minute consolation when Agüero headed in during stoppage time.