With doublet of Lionel Messi, world champion Argentina beat Peru 2-0 this Tuesday in Lima and extended its undefeated lead in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in North America. The goals of the Albiceleste’s fourth consecutive victory were scored by Messi at 32 and 42 minutes of the intense match played at the National Stadium.
With Messi playing the 90 minutes, Argentina achieved an important victory against a weak Peruvian team, which is sinking into the basement of the World Cup.
Argentina reached 12 points in first place in the tie followed by Uruguay, Brazil and Venezuela with 7.
Peru continued in ninth place with one unit. “At the game level I think we grew. After winning the World Cup, we are confident, very loose, more united and firm. Hopefully we can continue growing”Messi said after the game. “If there is a good group and a good atmosphere in the locker room, things are much easier.
We enjoy playing and spending time together,” added the Argentine captain. “We will approach the next matches in the same way. The rivals will make it difficult for us, but we will always play the same way,” coach Lionel Scaloni said at a press conference. “The most important thing is that Messi is healthy. He manages the minutes alone,” said the coach.
Led by Messi after overcoming a muscle injury, Argentina came out determined to break the Peruvian team’s nets to extend their winning streak of three successive victories in the 2026 World Cup qualifier. After 3 minutes, the Inter Miami star began testing from mid-range.
Indebted to its fans, Peru began the match showing some glimpses of good football in order to achieve a favorable result that would redeem it in front of the more than 40,000 fans who filled the National Stadium.
But the Albiceleste, who played with their alternating blue and violet jersey, maintained intense pressure to seek their first conquest against a rival that left them space. The Peruvians, led by veteran forward Paolo Guerrero, began to generate counterattacks in the first 20 minutes that were contained by the Argentine defense. At 16, Guerrero’s point-blank shot was saved by the ‘Draw’ Martínez.
After the initial 20 minutes, the world champion freed herself from marking and began to link good triangulations that forced her rival to retreat into her field waiting for the attacks. At 32, Messi with a left-footed shot opened the scoring 1-0 for Argentina after an assist from Nicolás González.
The goal silenced the Peruvian fans. It was “La Pulga”‘s first goal against Peru in World Cup qualifiers. Despite the score against, Peru did not give up and opted to generate counterattacks to try to equalize the score.
But Argentina found its second conquest again at the feet of Messi at 42. Leo took advantage of a cross from Enzo Fernandez from the left wing to score his first double in qualifying. Messi thus reached 106 goals with the national team and became the all-time top scorer in the qualifiers with 31 goals.
In the second half, the team led by Lionel Scaloni maintained its offensive game arguments to continue controlling the match, taking advantage of the Peruvian team’s defensive weakness. Coach Juan Reynoso left Guerrero out in the second half and made four changes. At 47, Scaloni moved his bench and sent Germán Pezzella onto the field. With the changes, Peru gained attitude and became more daring in its offensive game, but its players collided with a defensive wall
impassable Argentina.
At 57, Messi scored again after a defensive error, but the Venezuelan referee Jesús Valenzuela annulled it for an advanced position on the 10th after consulting with the VAR. With a great collective game,
Argentina continued to dominate the match and was closer to its third conquest, but its players failed to finish. At 77, Scaloni introduced three changes to refresh the team and ensure the result. In the final minutes, the game was paralyzed because some fans bypassed security and entered the field to try to hug Messi.
AFP
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