The Argentine national team continued its victories in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with its third successive victory at the expense of its guest, Paraguay, with a clean goal, while Brazil wasted the first two points by stumbling at home to Venezuela 1-1, in the third round competitions.
Argentina, champion of the Qatar World Cup, led by its star Lionel Messi, who sat on the bench before entering the second half, was alone at the top of the combined group with 9 points from 3 victories, two points ahead of Brazil and 4 points behind Colombia, which tied with Uruguay 2-2.
At the Monumental Stadium in the capital, Buenos Aires, veteran defender Nicolas Otamendi scored the winning goal in the third minute with an acrobatic shot, after a corner kick taken by Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodrigo de Paul, who almost doubled the score 3 minutes before the end of the first half, but the post saved. For his shot.
In the 53rd minute, Messi replaced Julián Alvarez, whom coach Lionel Scaloni put in alongside Lautaro Martinez in the attack, but the 7-time Golden Ball holder failed to score, after the blocks blocked his face twice, starting after a corner kick. He executed it from the right side directly towards the goal, and then after a free kick from in front of the penalty area in the second minute of stoppage time for the second half.
At the Pantanal Stadium in Cuiaba, Venezuela stunned its host Brazil with an equalizer in the 85th minute through Edward Bello, in response to Gabriel Magalich’s lead goal after a corner kick taken by Neymar (50).
Brazil has never lost to Venezuela in an official match, while it failed to beat them only once in the World Cup qualifiers, and that was in 2009.
Ecuador defeated its host Bolivia 2-1, and Chile defeated its host Peru 2-0.
2023-10-13 06:26:27
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