World Cup Qualifiers Round-Up: Messi Sits Out but Argentina Triumphs, Brazil Snatches Victory from Peru

A detailed look into the latest matches of the World Cup qualifiers in South America where Argentina wins sans Messi and Brazil pulls a last-minute win over Peru. Also, the first stumble for Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay.

The Messi-less Argentine Victory

Yes, you read that right. Argentina managed to pull off a 3-0 win against Bolivia without their talisman, Lionel Messi, who watched the game from the bench. Messi was not listed among the substitutes, citing fatigue from the previous match against Ecuador. Argentina’s coach Lionel Scaloni said:

Leo was not ready to play. He tried to recover, but he did not feel comfortable.

In Messi’s absence, Angel di Maria donned the captain’s armband and played a pivotal role. The first goal came from Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, who smoothly converted Di Maria’s cross into a goal. Nicolas Tagliafico and Nicolas Gonzalez then added further polish to Argentina’s win with two more goals.

Key Moments in Argentina vs. Bolivia

• Enzo Fernandez opens the scoreline.
• Roberto Fernandez (Bolivia) receives a red card.
• Nicolas Tagliafico heads in the second goal.
• Nicolas Gonzalez seals the win with a late goal.

Brazil Scrapes Past Peru in Dramatic Fashion

While Argentina was shining, Brazil was in a tug-of-war with Peru. Brazil only managed to secure their win thanks to a 90th-minute goal by Marquinhos, off a corner delivered by none other than Neymar. This was Brazil’s second win, making them, along with Argentina, the only two teams to have a perfect start in South American qualifying.

Major Highlights in Brazil vs. Peru

• Tight defense from Peru keeps Brazil at bay.
• Neymar delivers the game-changing corner.
• Marquinhos scores at the 90th-minute mark, winning the game for Brazil.

Marcelo Bielsa’s First Loss at the Helm of Uruguay

Marcelo Bielsa suffered his first defeat as Uruguay’s head coach in a 2-1 loss against Ecuador. Despite taking the lead early on through Agustin Canobbio, Uruguay was undone by goals from Felix Torres. Torres scored in each half, making sure to rub salt into the wounds of a Uruguay side that had earlier missed a penalty through Enner Valencia.

Significant Moments in Uruguay vs. Ecuador

• Uruguay opens scoring via Agustin Canobbio.
• Felix Torres levels and then secures the win for Ecuador.
• Enner Valencia misses a penalty for Ecuador.

Other Games and Their Outcomes

Let’s not forget, there were other matches too! Chile and Colombia held each other to a 0-0 stalemate in Santiago. Meanwhile, Venezuela managed to secure a 1-0 victory against Paraguay thanks to a stoppage-time penalty from Salomon Rondon.

Results Table

So, there we have it. The latest round of World Cup qualifiers has given us much to talk about. From Messi-less Argentina showing they are more than a one-man team, to Brazil’s nail-biting last-minute victory, and the unexpected hiccup for Bielsa’s Uruguay this qualifying round was a thriller. Strap in, because if this round was any indication, we’re in for a wild ride to the World Cup!