(Reuters) – The Argentina soccer team drew 1-1 as a visitor against Venezuela this Thursday and maintained the lead in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
With the tie on the ninth day, Argentina was left with 19 points in the standings, three ahead of Colombia, which lost earlier in its visit to Bolivia.
The intense rain that fell minutes before the game at the Monumental stadium in the city of Maturín, in the northeastern region of Venezuela, caused the start to be delayed for half an hour.
“You couldn’t play with so much water, the game was very ugly and very tight, we couldn’t make two passes in a row. It’s difficult, you play very little,” Lionel Messi said on television.
“We tied because the field did not help what we wanted to do, we had to fight, play with the opponent’s mistake and not risk too much behind,” he added.
Despite the delay, the field did not improve and the large amount of accumulated water meant that none of the teams could play their usual game and they relied on aerial balls over the areas.
Argentina found the goal in the 13th minute through Nicolás Otamendi, after a free kick by Lionel Messi in the area and a short clearance by goalkeeper Rafael Romo.
With difficulties playing from below, Venezuela responded with several long-distance shots.
The most dangerous opportunity came in the 39th minute with a shot by Salomón Rondón that goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli blocked and then Otamendi took out over the goal line.
At the beginning of the second stage, the local team led by Argentine Fernando Batista once again posed danger with a header from Yangel Herrera that was saved by Rulli, after a corner kick from the left.
The tying goal for Venezuela fell in the 64th minute through a header from Rondón after a good action by Yeferson Soteldo on the left sector.
The “Albiceleste” was close to the second goal in the 72nd minute when Messi was facing the goal after a filtered pass from Rodrigo De Paul, but goalkeeper Romo prevented the Argentine captain from scoring.
In the next matchday that will be played on Tuesday, Argentina will host Bolivia at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, while Venezuela will visit Paraguay at the Defensores del Chaco stadium in the city of Asunción.
