Argentina defeated Bolivia’s intimidating altitude in a dramatic World Cup qualifying match, but they did it without their icon, Lionel Messi, who was noticeably missing from the starting eleven. Despite this loss, the Argentine team was still able to defeat Bolivia by a score of 3-0 in their second World Cup qualifying match.
Argentina has already won both of its qualifiers, making coach Lionel Scaloni’s squad, headed by the seasoned ngel Di Mara and a strong midfield, seem strong. Argentina won the game in the first half thanks to a goal by Enzo Fernández in the 31st minute off of a Di Mara low pass. In the 42nd minute, the seasoned forward contributed to Argentina’s second goal by setting up Nicolas Tagliafico with a well placed free kick pass.
After Roberto Fernández of Bolivia was dismissed from the game in the 39th minute, the action took a more pleasant turn for Argentina. As the game went on, Nico González put Argentina ahead with a precise effort from the outside of the area that eluded goalkeeper Billy Viscarra in the 83rd minute.
For Messi, who was sitting on the bench in the same stadium where Argentina had suffered a devastating 6-1 loss 14 years before, it was a bittersweet occasion. Regarding the altitude issue, Di Mara said, “The altitude is psychological.”
Scaloni blamed Messi’s absence to his discomfort, saying, “He was not up to playing… we did not take risks.” Many Bolivian supporters who had been anticipating his visit were disappointed by his absence.
Brazil defeated Peru 1-0 in a nail-biting qualifying match that lasted to the last seconds. Fresh off a 5-1 triumph over Bolivia, the Selecao ran against a strong Peruvian defense that denied their early chances, including two goals that the VAR disallowed in the first period. Late triumph for Brazil was made possible by a Neymar corner that reached Marquinhos’ head in the 90th minute.
Brazil’s performance was inconsistent, and Neymar in particular committed a lot of passing mistakes, according to interim coach Fernando Diniz. After the game, Marquinhos said, “This will be the face of the national team. We’re going to be aggressive. Brazil’s performance was justified by replacement Gabriel Jesus, who emphasized the team’s continued development.
While everything was going on, Uruguay lost to Ecuador 2-1. In the 38th minute, Agustin Canobbio gave Uruguay the lead, but Ecuador made a tremendous comeback. Just before halftime, Felix Torres equalized with a header. Then, in the 61st minute, after a spectacular move by 16-year-old Kendry Páez, Torres scored once again. Ecuador survived a failed penalty attempt by Enner Valencia to earn their first win in the qualifying rounds.
Salomón Rondón’s penalty kick in injury time gave Venezuela a 1-0 win against Paraguay, which was his 40th goal for the national team.
Colombia is now in third position with four points in the ongoing South American World Cup qualification round following a scoreless draw with Chile. Paraguay, Peru, and Chile are next with one point apiece, followed by Uruguay and Venezuela with three points each. The next round of qualifications is scheduled for October. The top six South American teams will get direct access to the 2026 World Cup, while the club that finishes seventh will compete in an intercontinental playoff to earn a spot in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The stakes are enormous.
