Lionel Messi was delighted to be back as Argentina gave their World Cup qualifying campaign a much-needed boost with a 2-1 victory in Chile.
The 2014 finalists came from behind after Felipe Gutierrez's early header, with Angel Di Maria equalizing before Messi set up the winner for defender Gabriel Mercado.
Messi was playing for Argentina for the first time in five matches after missing four qualifiers through injury.
"We had to win in whatever way we could," he told broadcaster TyC Sports.
"I was glad to be back to help this group of players, who fight to the death for every point."
Coach Gerardo Martino told reporters in Santiago: "Leo played a very good first half, had the ball a lot and felt comfortable.
"In the second half, he had very little of the ball and that complicates things for Leo, because he likes to play."
Argentina now occupy the fourth and final qualifying place in the 10-team group, though Brazil would overtake them with a win or a draw against Uruguay on Friday night.
Martino's side take on Bolivia on Wednesday and he said: "It was very important for us to get this win, the qualifiers now look different.
"It required a lot of hard work but the players gave everything.
"For us it is very important to get the six points at stake in this international window, because then we would go to the Copa America just thinking about that and not looking over our shoulders knowing that we need points in the qualifiers."
Di Maria responded to his goal by making a silencing gesture towards the home crowd, who had reveled in their team's win over Argentina in last year's Copa America final.
But Martino said: "This was not a revenge for us, we must never suggest so.
"Chile was the champion of America and now if we celebrate, it is only for the three points we rescued. Chile are one of the toughest teams in the world. "
