Argentina celebrated their 2026 World Cup qualification with a stunning 4-1 thrashing of arch-rivals Brazil in Buenos Aires on Tuesday.
Argentina’s gamers have fun(AFP)
Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister and Giuliano Simeone sealed an emphatic win for the world champions, who had been assured of their World Cup berth after Bolivia’s 0-0 draw with Uruguay earlier Tuesday.
That goalless stalemate ensured a festive environment on the Estadio Monumental earlier than a ball had been kicked and Argentina saved the celebration going with a blistering efficiency.
Atletico Madrid ahead Alvarez opened the scoring after simply six minutes, latching onto Thiago Almada’s by way of ball and dinking a close-range end previous Brazil goalkeeper Bento.
It acquired higher for Argentina six minutes later when Chelsea’s Fernandez tucked away the hosts’ second objective of the night time after Brazil’s again 4 did not cope with a low cross.
With Brazil being run ragged by a rampant Argentina, they had been thrown a lifeline on 26 minutes after a blunder by Cristian Romero gifted a objective to Mattheus Cunha.
Tottenham defender Romero was caught in possession 25 yards from objective, permitting Cunha to steal in and drive a low shot previous Emiliano Martinez to make it 2-1.
However any hopes of a Brazilian fightback had been snuffed out within the thirty seventh minute with an outstanding objective from Mac Allister.
Almada was as soon as once more the creator, lofting a cross into the world which Mac Allister met with a first-time volley to make it 3-1.
With Argentina in full management, Simeone then introduced the home down with a 71st minute strike to make it 4-1 — his first worldwide objective.
Ecuador on observe
Simeone, the 22-year-old son of Argentine legend Diego Simeone, by some means blasted into the roof of the online from an acute angle to crown a dominant efficiency by the hosts.
The win means Argentina have certified for subsequent 12 months’s finals in america, Mexico and Canada with 4 video games to spare.
The Argentines lead the 10-team qualifying group with 31 factors from 14 video games and are assured one of many six computerized qualifying slots awarded to South America. Brazil are fourth.
In different South American video games, Ecuador stayed on track for qualification with a 0-0 draw towards Chile in Santiago. Ecuador are second within the standings, eight factors adrift of Argentina on 23 factors.
Uruguay’s draw with Bolivia — and Brazil’s heavy loss — allowed them to maneuver as much as third place on objective distinction.
Colombia in the meantime missed the prospect to shut the hole on the leaders after a 2-2 dwelling draw with Paraguay in Barranquilla.
Objectives from Luis Diaz and Jhon Duran fired Colombia right into a 2-0 lead after simply 13 minutes however Paraguay grabbed a share of the factors with targets from Junior Alonso and Julio Enciso.
Venezuela boosted their hopes of a first-ever World Cup qualification with a 1-0 win over Peru in Maturin.
Salomon Rondon’s Forty first-minute penalty secured three valuable factors for Venezuela, who’re the one South American workforce by no means to have certified for the World Cup.
Venezuela’s win lifted them into seventh place within the desk, leaving them on track for an inter-confederation playoff.