Without Messi at the start but with the Buenos Aires public behind him. Argentina faces the third match of the qualifiers against Paraguay, trying to continue to leave certainties and looking to put pressure on Brazil at the top of the group. Lionel Scaloni’s team didn’t take long to get the party started against Albirroja. Otamendi, who wore the captain’s armband in the absence of the ’10’ and Di María, scored a great volley goal after a corner kick.
The image of the Albiceleste has been the same since Lionel Scaloni took charge of the team. Voracity when they don’t have the ball and fluidity when possession belongs to their players Paraguay could not cause problems for its opponents in a match where Garnero’s team found only Almirón and Sosa to be the only distant responses in the attack. Without feeling threatened, Argentina dominated and came close to scoring more goals. Julián and Lautaro proved to be good dance partners, and Nico González provided a point of verticality that suited his team on the left.
With a constant for the locals, Monumental enjoyed before the break. And even if the score is 1-0, it is not unusual for the Argentines to add more goals in their favor. However, a few minutes into the second half, Messi appeared, and Lionel Scaloni did not hesitate to invite him to participate in the game with his teammates.
Entering ’10’ doesn’t mean big changes in his team. He intervened, stripped, and filmed for his countrymen. He nearly completed his participation with an Olympic goal that hit the post and also a foul in the final moments that hit the post to prevent his celebration; however, Argentina monopolized the ball in the second half, and even they don’t have much. Fluidity managed to tame a Paraguay that did not know how to express itself in Buenos Aires. In addition, Argentina added three new points and was able to further strengthen its momentum to continue raising the confidence of the team.
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Changes
Robert Rojas (45′), Lionel Messi (52′, Julián Álvarez), Antonio Sanabria (69′, Adam Bareiro), Brian Ojeda (70′, Álvaro Campuzano), Leandro Paredes (79′, Enzo Fernández), Gabriel Avalos (85′, Miguel Almiron), Lucas Ocampos (93′, Nicolás González), Giovani Lo Celso (93′, Rodrigo De Paul)
Cards
Referee: Raphael Claus
VAR Referee: Rodolpho Toski Marques, Fabricio Vilarinho da Silva
Enzo Fernández (6′, Yellow) Junior Alonso (20′, Yellow) Adam Barreiro (49′, Yellow)
