Lionel Messi hit a post twice after he came off the bench but struggled to deliver a strong performance following his return from injury. Still, Argentina beat Paraguay 1-0 in a South American World Cup qualifying match.
But Argentina’s biggest South American rival left the pitch to some jeers at Cuiabá, Brazil after the home side and Venezuela drew 1-1. The result put pressure on new Brazil coach Fernando Diniz and kept Argentina as the sole leaders of the round-robin competition with their third victory in three matches.
The next World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada is expanding to a 48-team format, meaning direct entry to the top six teams in South America. The seventh-place team will contest an intercontinental playoff for a berth. Argentina leads South American World Cup qualifying with 9 points, followed by Brazil (7), Colombia (5), Uruguay (4), Chile (4), Venezuela (4), Ecuador (3), Paraguay (1), Peru (1), and Bolivia (0). All 10 teams will play the fourth round on Tuesday. The next round will offer the following matchups: Peru vs. Argentina, Uruguay vs. Brazil, Ecuador vs. Colombia, Paraguay vs. Bolivia and Venezuela vs. Chile.
ARGENTINA 1, PARAGUAY 0
At the Monumental de Nunez Stadium, Argentina secured a 1-0 victory over Paraguay, with the lone goal arriving in the third minute. Nicolás Otamendi capitalized on a corner kick, striking the ball into the net with a left-foot volley. Notably, star player Lionel Messi made a return to the field after being sidelined due to muscular pains in his right leg. He replaced Julián Álvarez in the 52nd minute. Although Messi showcased his prowess with a near goal from a free kick, his efforts to dribble and create scoring opportunities were largely thwarted. Despite the challenges, Argentina celebrated a well-earned win under the guidance of coach Lionel Scaloni.
BRAZIL 1, VENEZUELA 1
In a surprising turn of events, Brazil faced a tough challenge from Venezuela on home turf, failing to secure a victory for the first time in such circumstances. Star players Neymar, Vinicius Júnior, and Richarlison struggled to make a significant impact in the first half. However, in the 52nd minute, Gabriel Magalhães found the net with a close-range header, courtesy of a corner kick by Neymar.
