After cutting a disinterested figure in the first half, the Barcelona star came to life and scored a brilliant solo effort as his side began their World Cup campaign with a win

A moment of magic from Lionel Messi helped Argentina to a winning start in their World Cup campaign as they beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-1 at the Maracana on Sunday.

Sead Kolasinac’s unfortunate own goal in just the third minute sent the South Americans on their way before Messi scored with a fine second-half effort.

Substitute Vedad Ibisevic gave Bosnia hope with an 85th-minute goal, but they were unable to find an equaliser.

Messi, like his team, had been largely poor until the 65th-minute goal as Argentina, one of the tournament favourites, toiled away manfully in the Group F clash.

Alejandro Sabella would have been worried about the opening hour, but his team finished decently after Messi’s second World Cup goal and first since 2006.

Starting with a 5-3-2 was perhaps the biggest surprise to Sabella’s Argentina line-up.

Napoli forward Gonzalo Higuain was left on the bench, seemingly still yet to recover fully from an ankle injury.

In their first ever World Cup game, Bosnia-Herzegovina had few shocks in their starting XI with Edin Dzeko leading the line in a 4-2-3-1.

But Safet Susic’s men made the worst possible start to be behind after two minutes and eight seconds.

Messi’s set-piece from the left was headed by Marcos Rojo, hit a stranded Kolasinac and crept past goalkeeper Asmir Begovic for the fastest own goal in World Cup history.

Izet Hajrovic almost had Bosnia level in the 13th minute, but goalkeeper Sergio Romero scrambled away after the midfielder’s heavy first touch.

Despite the awful start, Susic’s side looked comfortable in defence and were just lacking some polish in the attacking third.

Maxi Rodriguez blazed well over from 30 yards just after the half-hour mark for Argentina, while Javier Mascherano’s effort from range forced Begovic into a save moments later.

An off-balance Dzeko tried his luck from outside the area in the 33rd minute, but he curled his left-footed shot over the bar.

A largely dull first half was brought to life four minutes before half-time.

Senad Lulic almost had Bosnia’s equaliser from a Miralem Pjanic corner, only for Romero to push the header around his post in the last chance of the half.

Unhappy with his side’s first half, Sabella made two changes at the break as Higuain and Fernando Gago replaced Rodriguez and Hugo Campagnaro, with the system shifting to a flexible 4-3-3.

But Bosnia remained on the front foot after the interval as Hajrovic struck a free kick straight at Romero from 25 yards in the 50th minute and then shot at him from range.

Sergio Aguero’s strike from an angle lacked the power and direction to seriously trouble Begovic after he was teed up by Messi.

Messi had squandered a good free kick chance before he doubled Argentina’s lead in the 65th minute in truly emphatic style.

The Barcelona star exchanged passes with Higuain, skipped past a challenge and placed his left-footed shot in off the post from the edge of the area.

Ibisevic pulled a goal back for Susic’s side – their first ever in the World Cup – as he poked through Romero’s legs after a fine through ball by Lulic, but Argentina held on

According to Goal

The Real Madrid striker scored twice and forced an own goal from the goalkeeper as Didier Deschamps’ men breezed past the 10 men of the Central Americans

Karim Benzema was in inspired form as France opened their World Cup campaign with a convincing 3-0 win over Honduras.

Luis Suarez’s Central Americans were not afraid to put in several robust challenges – an approach that resulted in Wilson Palacios’ dismissal shortly before the break.

There was also a first moment of doubt in relation to goal-line technology at the World Cup, with initial confusion over the verdict for France’s second goal.

However, Didier Deschamps’ men were rightful victors as they moved top of Group E despite having struggled to break down Honduras’ backline for the majority of the opening 45 minutes.

Benzema gave France the lead from the penalty spot just prior to the break, with Palacios shown a second yellow card after barging into Paul Pogba, and the 10 men of Honduras fell further behind early in the second half.

After a short delay, goal-line technology confirmed goalkeeper Noel Valladares had fumbled Benzema’s effort over the line, and the Real Madrid man added a third 18 minutes from time as the French got their first points on the board in Brazil.

Both sides struggled to build momentum early on, although Mathieu Valbuena and Antoine Griezmann were among the livelier French players in the opening 10 minutes.

Valbuena in particular was a danger and his delivery led to France’s first chance 14 minutes in – Blaise Matuidi seeing his effort from inside the area tipped onto and over the crossbar by Valladares.

From there, France dominated play and Griezmann was next to go close with a header that hit the woodwork.

Tempers flared shortly before the half-hour mark when Pogba and Palacios were involved in a heated exchange after some tenacious tackling from the Stoke City man.

Pogba kicked out at the Honduran from on the ground and was perhaps lucky to escape with only a yellow card, while Palacios was also booked for the initial challenge.

For Honduras, that break in play provided welcome respite from constant French pressure and the incident seemed to slow the Europeans’ momentum somewhat.

Indeed, they needed a penalty to give them a lead at the break – Benzema tucking the spot-kick away after Palacios had mindlessly bundled over Pogba in the area.

The midfielder’s subsequent dismissal gave the Central Americans a mountain to climb in the second half, with things getting worse for Honduras two minutes after the restart with the arrival of France’s second.

Benzema’s initial effort struck the far post and, with the assistance of goal-line technology and some poor handling from Valladares, it found its way over the line.

While there was a delay on the confirmation of the goal and subsequent disagreements between France coach Deschamps and his counterpart Suarez on the touchline, the ball was – eventually – clearly adjudged to be over the line.

There was no doubt whatsoever as to Benzema’s second of the game, though – the impressive striker crashing an effort into the roof of the net from a tight angle with 18 minutes left.

That put further daylight between the two sides, although more robust tackling from Honduras late on meant that Deschamps will likely have been satisfied to simply come through a physical encounter unscathed and seemingly without injury.

According to Goal