World qualifiers: Messi and Lautaro show and Argentina flies

3-0 victory over Uruguay with goal and assist for Toro, then replaced in the 65th minute by Correa. De Paul also scored. La Roja rises again against Paraguay

Goals, woods, play and even the luxury of being able to “dose” the returning Lautaro Martinez. Argentina is enjoying an evening with all the trimmings dominating the heartfelt clasico with Uruguay. At Monumental it ends 3-0 for Messi and his teammates, who consolidate their second place in the standings by nibbling two points against Brazil and breaking the direct rivals by six points. The pass for Qatar ’22 is getting closer and closer for Scaloni’s troop led by the usual inspired Messi and by a perfectly recovered Lautaro, author of an assist and a goal before passing the baton to Correa. Uruguay unlucky at 0-0, but after the advantage signed by the Pulce he raised the white flag. Instead, Chile returns to breathe, interrupting the black series and moving a worrying ranking by bending Paraguay 2-0.

–

Argentina-Uruguay 3-0

—

Scaloni changes two-thirds of the trident compared to the previous challenge with Paraguay with the return of Toro, who regains his place in the center of the attack after having disposed of muscle fatigue, and the insertion of the viola Nico Gonzalez. Changes also for Tabarez, but out of necessity: in place of the suspended Bentancur in another “Italian”, Nandez, to complete the usual four-way median with the Nerazzurri Vecino. Beyond the names, the tactical move that immediately tip the scales towards Argentina is the systematic density in the central area and the quick dribble of the ball on the ground. The ball runs fast, Messi acts as a rubber band as usual, causing havoc, and Uruguay is soon forced to the ropes. It is true that, as long as the result remains equal, the best opportunities happen to Celeste, all on Suarez’s feet, but the reflexes of a prodigious Martinez and the pole (the one hit by the Pistolero in the 28 ‘) block the brings in the face of Tabarez’s team. To open the accounts, after a post and a crossbar also hit by Argentina, is an involuntary goal by Pulce, the number 80 in the Albiceleste jersey, thanks to the movement of Gonzalez who deceives Muslera by slowly sliding the ball into the net. Then follow the seals of De Paul, served at 43 ‘by a throttled right foot from Toro, and that of Lautaro at 62’, a convenient tap-in a few steps on a precise low center of the former Udinese. Tabarez fielded all the heavy artillery by inserting Cavani and Nunez, but nothing to do. On the contrary, Muslera’s reflexes are still needed to avoid a wider passive to Celeste, with at least three sensational interventions on Messi and Di Maria in the last 15 ‘.

–

Chile 2-0 Paraguay

—

Chile returns to success after a streak of four knockouts and two draws, but the problems for Lasarte remain the same: lack of play, lack of rhythm and, more often than not, trivial mistakes. Good against Paraguay are only the goals of Brereton and Isla, in addition to the usual Vidal in the role of driver. The Nerazzurri midfielder was on the pitch from start to finish together with Sanchez, but with opposite results: if Vidal came out at a distance, Nino instead never even tried to scratch. The turning point in a sleepy challenge with little emotion came in the 69th minute, thanks to a suggestion with Isla’s tachometer for Brereton, good at hitting the low corner with the left. Deadly then the doubling signed after three laps of the clock by Isla himself, who secures the three points with a shot from the limit that cannot be missed by Silva. The challenge in Santiago, which ended ten against ten due to the expulsions of Aranguiz and Alderete, closed the recovery of the fifth day of Eliminatorias postponed for the pandemic, with a ranking that shortly after the halfway point always reads: Brazil first with 28 points, Argentina 22, Ecuador and Uruguay 16, Colombia 15, Paraguay 12, Peru 11, Chile 10, Bolivia 9, Venezuela 7.

–