Lionel Messi couldn’t assist Argentina prolong its unbeaten streak since their FIFA World Cup 2022 title. Uruguay beat Argentina 2-0 at La Bombonera Stadium in Buenos Aires on Thursday in a World Cup qualifying match, their greatest victory thus far underneath new coach Marcelo Bielsa. Argentina hadn’t misplaced a aggressive match since its group-stage opener in opposition to Saudi Arabia throughout final yr’s World Cup in Qatar.
Brazil continued their thus far poor marketing campaign in qualifying with a 2-1 loss at Colombia, their second consecutive defeat within the round-robin competitors. Striker Luiz Diaz scored twice on headers to steer a formidable turnaround on the Metropolitano Stadium in Barranquilla, along with his father celebrating within the stands solely days after being launched by kidnappers.
Argentina nonetheless leads the 10-team South American qualifying group with 12 factors from 5 matches. Uruguay is second with 10 factors. Colombia has 9 and Venezuela eight. Brazil will host the World Cup champions on the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro in fifth place, with seven factors.
Uruguay ends Argentina’s longest unbeaten run in FIFA World Cup Qualifying historical past (25 video games) _
It’s additionally the primary recreation that Lionel Messi began for Argentina by which he didn’t rating since final November _ pic.twitter.com/LLwS8mhs07
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) November 17, 2023
Ecuador, Paraguay and Chile have 5 factors every. Bolivia has three and Peru one. The 2026 World Cup within the United States, Mexico and Canada will embrace 48 groups, that means direct entry for the highest six groups from South America. The seventh-place workforce can earn a berth in an intercontinental playoff.
Uruguay have been aggressive from the beginning in opposition to the World Cup champions. Darwin Núnez almost opened the scoring with a crossed shot within the tenth minute after a mistake by defender Nicolás Otamendi. For the primary time since Argentina’s World Cup title, coach Lionel Scaloni seemed jittery as his midfielders struggled to dam Uruguay’s wingers. His gamers did not heed the decision and their punishment got here within the forty second minute, when Matias Viña simply stole the ball from Nahuel Molina and gently made a low cross into the penalty field. Ronald Araújo smashed it into the again of the web.
Argentina got here near leveling the scoring on a free kick by Messi and a close-range shot by Otamendi, which pressured goalkeeper Sergio Rochet to make a key save close to the tip of the primary half.
After the break, Uruguay stored the stress on Argentina, which as soon as once more counted on Messi and substitute Angel di Maria to seek out its finest possibilities. Messi hit the bar with a free kick within the 57th minute.
Núnez scored within the 87th minute on a counter after the Uruguayan protection stopped Messi on the fringe of its field. “We never felt comfortable in this match,” Messi mentioned. “Uruguay is a physical team, they have good teamwork. It is always like that against them.”
Messi’s shut good friend Luis Suárez, who simply returned to the Uruguayan nationwide workforce, didn’t play. In the earlier spherical of World Cup qualifying, Uruguay beat Brazil by the identical rating in Montevideo. Its subsequent match will probably be in opposition to Bolivia.
Colombia beat Brazil 2-1
With Neymar and Casemiro out with accidents, Brazil coach Fernando Diniz had some main restructuring to do forward of what he known as “a physical encounter” at Colombia. Gabriel Martinelli and midfielder André have been picked as substitutes.
Martinelli opened the scoring within the fourth minute after a fast trade of passes with Vinicius Júnior. Brazil’s momentum stalled after the Real Madrid winger left within the twenty fifth minute with a left thigh damage. Colombia’s recreation up entrance depended virtually solely on Diaz. The striker almost scored after dribbling previous a number of Brazilians within the thirtieth minute and was stopped by goalkeeper Alisson on two extra harmful photographs within the second half.
Diaz equalized with a simple header within the seventy fifth minute; he did not even want to leap. He added a second purpose 4 minutes later. His father, Luis Manuel Diaz, fell on prime of some individuals subsequent to him within the stands as his son celebrated.
“He is a friend, he suffered a lot these days. This is beyond soccer,” Alisson mentioned. “But we are leaving here in disappointment.”
