Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Brazil’s Vinicius Junior had irritating nights in South American World Cup qualifying.
While Messi couldn’t assist his staff keep away from a 2-1 defeat at Paraguay, Vinicius Junior missed a second-half penalty as Brazil was held to a 1-1 draw at Venezuela on Thursday.
Argentina will stay on the highest of the 10-team spherical robin competitors with 22 factors in 11 matches, Brazil is provisionally in third place within the standings with 17 factors.
Also on Thursday, Ecuador beat Bolivia 4-0. The Ecuadorians stay in fifth place with 16 factors, whereas Bolivia is in eighth place with 12 factors.
The eleventh spherical of South American World Cup qualifying will proceed on Friday with second-place Colombia visiting Uruguay and the underside two groups within the standings, Peru and Chile, dealing with off in Lima.
Argentina performed at Paraguay with the hosts having banned native followers from carrying any Messi shirts within the dwelling crowd. TV footage of the match in Asuncion confirmed that the overwhelming majority of the native crowd was carrying Paraguay’s pink and white colours, with no Messi shirts seen within the native broadcasts.
Messi had few alternatives to the touch the ball through the first half, however noticed Lautaro Martínez open the scoring within the eleventh minute with a crossed shot. The objective was allowed after a video assessment.
Paraguay scored the equalizer with a bicycle kick by Antonio Sanabria within the nineteenth minute, shortly after defender Gustavo Gomez hit the bar with a header.
The hosts continued to use strain, and gave the Argentine star some heavy marking. Messi confirmed he was upset with Brazilian referee Anderson Daronco for not sending off Paraguay’s Omar Alderete for his aggressive tackles.
It was Alderete who scored Paraguay’s winner with a header within the forty seventh minute, which places Paraguay again in competition for a spot within the subsequent World Cup.
“We came to a hard place where the national team always struggled,” said Martínez. “We need to right a number of issues we did fallacious on this match, however usually talking we’re enjoying nicely. We are nonetheless within the lead, and we’ve got to look ahead.”
Vinicius Junior remains to be and not using a objective in six matches of World Cup qualifying.
He had the possibility to attain a possible winner after he earned the penalty within the 67th minute however his low spot kick was saved by goalkeeper Rafael Romo and the Brazil ahead then shot extensive from the rebound.
Brazil had the most effective possibilities within the first half, with Vinicius hitting the put up as soon as after dribbling three Venezuelans and capturing from the sting of the field. But it was Raphinha who opened the scoring from a free kick within the forty third minute.
Venezuela introduced on 21-year-old Telasco Segovia at halftime and the substitution had an instantaneous impact as he equalized within the forty sixth minute with a strong shot from the sting of the field.
Venezuela went all the way down to 10 males within the 89th minute after Alexander Gonzalez was despatched off for hitting each Gabriel Martinelli and Vinicius Junior within the face.
The irrigation system then got here on two minutes earlier than the ultimate whistle on the Monumental Stadium within the metropolis of Maturin, 500 kilometers (310 miles) west of the capital Caracas, which angered Brazil gamers.
“When we don’t win I leave the pitch a bit disappointed, we deserved to win this one,” Raphinha said after the match. “But it is a crucial level enjoying away, we’re working onerous to win the subsequent one at dwelling.”
Ecuador beat Bolivia with targets by Enner Valencia (twenty sixth minute), Gonzalo Plata (twenty eighth and forty ninth) and Alan Minda (61st).
Source: www.dailysabah.com