Altitude test passed: Argentina blanks Bolivia 3-0 in WC qualifying match

Argentina anticipated a challenging encounter in the high-altitude city of La Paz. The ascent to victory seemed even more daunting with the absence of Lionel Messi from the starting lineup. Nevertheless, Argentina managed to secure a 3-0 win in its second match of the qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup. It’s now two for two in qualifiers for Coach Lionel Scaloni’s team, which was led by veteran Ángel Di María and a strong midfield. Uruguay had the opportunity to climb to the top of the standings table alongside Argentina, but suffered a 2-1 defeat against Ecuador. Ecuador’s point total has now returned to zero; they initially began the tournament with a -3 due to FIFA’s deduction of three points for the falsification of birth information concerning defender Byron Castillo, who originally hails from Colombia. Brazil, having emerged victorious in their first match, faced off against Peru. The 2026 World Cup, set to be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will adopt a 48-team format. The top six South American teams will earn direct qualification spots, while the seventh-place team will engage in an intercontinental playoff for a chance to secure a berth.
BOLIVIA 0, ARGENTINA 3
Argentina defined the match in the first half with two goals, kept its pace in the second half and added a third near the final whistle. A red card for Bolivia’s Roberto Fernández in the 39th minute also made it less troublesome for the Argentinians. Enzo Fernández opened the scoring in the 31st from close range after a low cross by Di María from the right. The veteran striker also took part in the second goal — lifting the ball into the penalty box from a free kick in the 42nd for Nicolas Tagliafico to score with his shoulder. Nico González added Argentina’s third in the 83rd with a crossed shot from the edge of the box that passed to the right of goalkeeper Billy Viscarra.
Messi applauded the goals from the bench in a stadium where 14 years ago he saw Argentina get hammered by the hosts by 6-1.