Argentina secured a 1-0 victory over Uruguay of their South American World Cup qualifier on Friday, regardless of lacking Lionel Messi and Lautaro Martinez.
Thiago Almada delivered the decisive aim with a superb curling strike from outdoors the field, placing the reigning champions only one level away from securing direct qualification for subsequent yr’s event.
At the moment main the standings with 28 factors from 13 matches, Argentina may affirm their place with at the least a draw towards Brazil at dwelling on Tuesday.
Coach Lionel Scaloni’s squad holds a snug 15-point benefit over seventh-placed Bolivia, with solely 5 rounds remaining within the qualifiers.
The final time Argentina and Brazil confronted off, Argentina claimed a 1-0 win on the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
Brazil sit in third place with 21 factors, simply forward of Uruguay and Paraguay, whereas Colombia holds the sixth spot with 19 factors.
Alongside Messi, Argentina had to deal with the absences of Martinez, Lisandro Martínez, and Rodrigo De Paul for his or her match in Montevideo.
La Gran Muralla Argentina 🇦🇷🚧 pic.twitter.com/9Psro1adhn
— 🇦🇷 Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) March 22, 2025
Because of this, coach Scaloni included Giuliano Simeone within the beginning lineup alongside Julian Alvarez and Almada in assault.
Uruguay, backed by a packed Centenario Stadium, began nicely and had the perfect alternatives within the first half. Nevertheless, Argentina started to take management after the break.
Almada’s breakthrough within the 68th minute got here after a number of missed alternatives towards Uruguay’s goalkeeper Sergio Rochet.
“I used to be slightly anxious, very prepared to play and to point out why I used to be making the squad,” stated Almada, a member of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning workforce. “Now we now have to relaxation and look forward to this match towards Brazil, they may relaxation another day than us.
“We made a whole match, we absorbed the strain. Once we needed to play, we did it. And once we needed to defend, we did it too,” Scaloni acknowledged in a press convention. “I’m completely happy not just for our win, but additionally for a way the workforce behaves.”
Argentina might be with out Nico Gonzalez towards Brazil after he obtained a purple card in stoppage time for a problem on Nahitan Nandez.
Brazil, in the meantime, face line-up points for Tuesday’s conflict, with beginning goalkeeper Alisson, defender Gabriel Magalhaes, and midfielder Bruno Guimaraes all unavailable.
