Argentina and Venezuela are going head-to-head in Buenos Aires on Matchday 17 of the World Cup qualifiers. There, Lionel Messi showcased his trademark brilliance by scoring the opener for the hosts with a fragile left-footed contact within the last minutes of the primary half.
Regardless of having secured their spot within the FIFA World Cup 2026 way back, Argentina didn’t method Thursday’s match with any indicators of complacency. Quite the opposite, head coach Lionel Scaloni fielded a lineup crammed with high stars. Alongside Leo, the beginning XI included Emiliano Martinez, Cristian Romero, Rodrigo De Paul, Franco Mastantuono, and Julian Alvarez, amongst others.
Argentina’s critical method was evident from the opening minutes. Alvarez had the primary clear probability with a robust shot that was denied by goalkeeper Rafael Romo. Venezuela tried to create alternatives of their very own, however they struggled to keep up possession below Argentina’s excessive strain.
The opener got here within the thirty ninth minute, when Leandro Paredes gained the ball in midfield and caught the Venezuelan protection out of form. A wonderfully timed via ball discovered Alvarez, who drove into the field and squared it to Messi. The 38-year-old ahead calmly beat Romo and the defenders on the road to make it 1–0.
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