Argentina Falls to Paraguay in Shock Defeat
Argentina’s World Cup qualifying campaign took a surprising turn on Thursday, as they suffered a 2-1 defeat against Paraguay in Asunción. Despite an early goal from Lautaro Martínez in the 11th minute, Argentina couldn’t hold on to their lead. The goal, which came after a video review, was quickly canceled out by a stunning bicycle kick from Paraguay’s Antonio Sanabria in the 19th minute. The hosts maintained pressure throughout the match, and in the 47th minute, Omar Alderete’s header sealed the win for Paraguay.
Lionel Messi, who had a quiet night, couldn’t help Argentina recover from the setback. His frustration was palpable, particularly after Brazilian referee Anderson Daronco failed to send off Alderete following a series of aggressive tackles. Despite the loss, Argentina remains at the top of the South American qualifying table with 22 points from 11 matches.
Brazil Held to a Draw by Venezuela
Meanwhile, Brazil also faced a frustrating night in their World Cup qualifying match against Venezuela. Despite dominating much of the first half, Brazil was held to a 1-1 draw in Caracas. Raphinha gave Brazil the lead with a beautiful free-kick in the 43rd minute, but Venezuela responded swiftly after the break. Telasco Segovia equalized for the hosts just one minute into the second half with a powerful shot from outside the box.
Vinicius Júnior, who has struggled to find the back of the net in World Cup qualifying, had a chance to give Brazil the lead in the 67th minute after being awarded a penalty. However, his low shot was saved by Venezuela’s goalkeeper Rafael Romo, and moments later, he fired wide on the rebound, missing a golden opportunity.
Late Red Card for Venezuela, But Brazil Fails to Capitalize
Venezuela’s chances of a comeback were slightly dented in the 89th minute when Alexander Gonzalez was shown a red card for striking both Gabriel Martinelli and Vinicius in the face. Despite the man advantage, Brazil could not break through and secure a victory. Post-match, Raphinha expressed his disappointment, stating, “When we don’t win, I leave the pitch a bit disappointed. We deserved to win this one. But it is an important point playing away. We are working hard to win the next one at home.”
Brazil now sits third in the standings with 17 points, trailing Argentina by five points in the race for World Cup qualification.
Argentina and Brazil Face Setbacks in World Cup Qualifiers
Argentina Falls to Paraguay in Shock Defeat
Argentina’s World Cup qualifying campaign took a surprising turn on Thursday, as they suffered a 2-1 defeat against Paraguay in Asunción. Despite an early goal from Lautaro Martínez in the 11th minute, Argentina couldn’t hold on to their lead. The goal, which came after a video review, was quickly canceled out by a stunning bicycle kick from Paraguay’s Antonio Sanabria in the 19th minute. The hosts maintained pressure throughout the match, and in the 47th minute, Omar Alderete’s header sealed the win for Paraguay.
Lionel Messi, who had a quiet night, couldn’t help Argentina recover from the setback. His frustration was palpable, particularly after Brazilian referee Anderson Daronco failed to send off Alderete following a series of aggressive tackles. Despite the loss, Argentina remains at the top of the South American qualifying table with 22 points from 11 matches.
Brazil Held to a Draw by Venezuela
Meanwhile, Brazil also faced a frustrating night in their World Cup qualifying match against Venezuela. Despite dominating much of the first half, Brazil was held to a 1-1 draw in Caracas. Raphinha gave Brazil the lead with a beautiful free-kick in the 43rd minute, but Venezuela responded swiftly after the break. Telasco Segovia equalized for the hosts just one minute into the second half with a powerful shot from outside the box.
Vinicius Júnior, who has struggled to find the back of the net in World Cup qualifying, had a chance to give Brazil the lead in the 67th minute after being awarded a penalty. However, his low shot was saved by Venezuela’s goalkeeper Rafael Romo, and moments later, he fired wide on the rebound, missing a golden opportunity.
Late Red Card for Venezuela, But Brazil Fails to Capitalize
Venezuela’s chances of a comeback were slightly dented in the 89th minute when Alexander Gonzalez was shown a red card for striking both Gabriel Martinelli and Vinicius in the face. Despite the man advantage, Brazil could not break through and secure a victory. Post-match, Raphinha expressed his disappointment, stating, “When we don’t win, I leave the pitch a bit disappointed. We deserved to win this one. But it is an important point playing away. We are working hard to win the next one at home.”
Brazil now sits third in the standings with 17 points, trailing Argentina by five points in the race for World Cup qualification.
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