Alexis Mac Allister, Julian Alvarez, and Paulo Dybala discovered the web as Argentina tightened their grip on South America’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers with a commanding 3-0 victory over Chile on Thursday.
Liverpool’s Mac Allister broke the impasse three minutes into the second half with a exact low end on the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires towards a cussed Chilean protection.
Julian Alvarez, the previous Manchester City ahead, doubled the lead within the 84th minute with a strong strike from distance, earlier than substitute Dybala sealed the win with a stoppage-time objective.
The reigning world champions delivered one other scientific efficiency as they edge nearer to securing their spot on the 2026 finals within the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
Lionel Scaloni’s staff leads South America’s 10-team round-robin qualifying desk by 5 factors after seven video games.
The high six groups within the ultimate standings qualify mechanically for the 2026 finals in North America, with the seventh-placed staff advancing to a playoff.
Argentina, who additionally beat Chile 1-0 on their method to clinching back-to-back Copa America titles earlier this 12 months, entered Thursday’s sport lacking injured captain Lionel Messi and veteran winger Angel Di Maria, who retired from worldwide soccer after the Copa America triumph in July.
Di Maria was honored by his former teammates in a pregame ceremony earlier than taking his place within the stands to observe the world champions safe their sixth win from seven qualifying video games.
Despite the absence of Messi and Di Maria, Argentina confirmed loads of creativity in assault, with Lautaro Martinez and Atletico Madrid’s Alvarez inflicting issues for the Chile protection.
Argentina managed the midfield, with Mac Allister lining up alongside Rodrigo De Paul and Enzo Fernandez.
After a cagey first half, the breakthrough got here within the forty eighth minute when Alvarez whipped in a low cross from the appropriate. Martinez cleverly dummied, permitting the ball to roll by to Mac Allister, who guided an correct shot into the underside nook.
Bolivia thrash Venezuela
In Thursday’s different qualifier, Bolivia reignited its marketing campaign with a 4-0 drubbing of Venezuela in a sport performed greater than 4,000 meters (13,100 toes) above sea degree.
Goals from Ramiro Vaca, Carmelo Algaranaz, Miguel Terceros, and Enzo Monteiro handed Bolivia solely its second win of qualifying, lifting the staff into seventh place within the standings.
The end result vindicated Bolivia’s choice to play Thursday’s sport in El Alto — Spanish for “The Heights” — moderately than at its ordinary dwelling venue in neighboring La Paz, which is 3,600 meters above sea degree.
The skinny air of El Alto left Venezuela’s gamers struggling for power towards a Bolivian staff aiming to qualify for its first World Cup since reaching the 1994 finals within the United States.
Despite his staff’s heavy loss, Venezuela coach Fernando Batista refused to dwell on the altitude subject after the sport.
“Out of 10 questions, eight are about altitude,” Batista stated. “You won’t hear anything from me about it.”
The choose of Bolivia’s targets got here from Vaca after simply 13 minutes. The 25-year-old midfielder gathered the ball round 30 yards from objective, reduce in from the left, and unleashed a ferocious shot that flew into the highest nook.
Venezuela, the one staff from South America by no means to have certified for a World Cup, stays well-placed to achieve the finals regardless of Thursday’s loss.
The “Vinotinto” is fourth within the standings with 9 factors from seven video games, trailing Argentina, Uruguay, and Colombia.
Venezuela hosts Uruguay subsequent Tuesday in its eighth qualifying sport.
South America’s qualifiers proceed on Friday, with second-placed Uruguay internet hosting Paraguay in Montevideo, whereas struggling Brazil, 11 factors adrift of leaders Argentina in sixth, faces Ecuador in Curitiba.
Third-placed Colombia, in the meantime, travels to Lima to face bottom-of-the-table Peru.
Source: www.dailysabah.com